Someone please believe in me
by VictoriaBard
Summary: Xena and Gabrielle meet a troubled young girl who beginns to travel with them. This is the beginning of a great adventure for the trio.(Please review)
1. Default Chapter

Title: Someone please believe in me  
  
Disclaimer: The characters Xena and Gabrielle do not belong to me, they belong to whoever owns Xena Warrior Princess. I get no profit from this story so please don't sue me.  
  
" Can't you do anything else but sit around watching that show on TV. There is too much violence in it. It's not good for you."  
  
Annie sighed and let a single tear fall down her cheek. Arguing, it seemed that was all she did with her mother these days. She really tried to stay out of trouble at school and do all her homework like she was suppose to but it was a real challenge. And now her mother had found something else to yell about. When she wasn't out meeting friends or forced to do her homework she was always watching her favourite television show, "Xena Warrior Princess".  
  
It was about a beautiful woman. Annie always felt she could identify with this woman who had a dark past but was trying to make up for her past mistakes by travelling the world with her friend helping people. That was something Annie would like to do herself one day. She wasn't a bad person. At least she didn't think she was, she just had this way of getting into trouble everywhere. Especially at school where there were a lot of bullies who liked to pick on the little kids.  
  
Personally she had something against that, maybe it was a result of being one of them a few years back that made her want to stand up for what was right. The teachers never noticed anything and if you tried to tell them they just ignored it. They didn't want to know the truth. They were more than happy with things as they were. So every time some big guy from one of the gangs was beating up on some small twelve year old who just happened to cross the school-yard at the same time as him, Annie reacted and felt the anger rise inside and she couldn't help but run over there. It always ended up with herself in a fight with the much bigger guy. A teacher came and they were dragged over to the principal's office. He would ask what happened and she always ended up taking the blame. All the witnesses said she started it, because they were too afraid to do anything else but obey the gang. And the one who she had tried to help never had the guts to tell the truth because he knew if he did he would end up with two black eyes the next day.  
  
Things like that had happened a lot lately. Ever since her father left her mother for another woman, it seemed she got into even more trouble than before. She had dropped all her after school activities and instead sat at home watching Xena fight for good with her companion Gabrielle by her side day after day.  
  
The principal had told her that if there was ever a next time she would be expelled, so she had done her best to take her aggressions out on other things than bullies at school and watching Xena fight made her feel more relaxed. Annie rose from her seat on the couch and walked over to the VCR to change the tape inside it so she could watch another episode.  
  
"There is not too much violence in it, mom. It's actually a show about love too. If you ever took the time to watch it with me than maybe you would see that."  
  
Her mother didn't even bother to answer that pathetic remark but kept pushing papers on the coffee table around looking for something. Annie held her breath, hoping her mother wouldn't discover the note from her teacher about the latest fight hidden under her English book. How could she have been stupid enough to leave it there? She should have gotten rid of it immediately instead of stalling. Her mother picked up the note and read it. Her expression changed from annoyed to furious. She dropped the note and locked eyes with her daughter who lowered her eyes and waited for the screaming to begin.  
  
Annie lay on her bed in her room studying the ceiling. An hour had passed since the argument with her mother about the note and of course everything else the woman could think of that she wasn't pleased with about her daughter. She had started with announcing that there would be no more watching that "show" from now on. She was convinced it was the main reason her daughter had been fighting at school again. Of course Annie knew that wasn't true, and it made her sooo very angry knowing that her mother was wrong but not being able to convince her of that. Life was unfair.  
  
She wished her father was there. She could always talk to him when she needed it and he had always been there for her, except the last two years when he had been working overtime a lot to pay for the bills, or so he had claimed. But she knew better, he had been having an affair and she would never forgive him for that or for leaving her and her mother. This was one of those moments which she seemed to be having a lot of lately. One of those when she wished that she could just escape right into Xena's world and hide there until she had worked out her problems and her mother and father had worked through theirs as well.  
  
She looked around for something to keep busy with. She had read all her books, watched all the good movies and so on. She figured a walk outside would do her good so she got to her feet, retrieved her jacket and left. She could hear her mother's frustrated voice screaming that she wanted to know where she was going right before she slammed the door. She didn't even know where she was going so there was really nothing to tell her mother anyway, they would just get into another one of their regular arguments about rules.  
  
She kept walking until she reached her favourite space. It was a small lake with a bridge leading out into the water. To her this place was sacred, where she always went when she needed to be alone to think. She had never told anyone she use to come here because she didn't want to risk them starting coming down looking for her before she was ready to return.  
  
Annie sat down at the edge of the bridge and slowly lowered her feet into the cooling water. A shiver ran through her and she wrapped her jacket tighter around her shoulders. Her fifteenth birthday was coming up in a few weeks, her mother had probably forgotten about it. Maybe she would go out with her friends that evening. That would show her mother not to take her presence for granted, even at special occasions.  
  
When she was a little girl her parents had always brought her to the zoo on her birthday, it was their very own tradition. But as she got older they had stopped and they hadn't started a new one either. Annie moved a stray of her long brown hair away from her face and sighed heavily. Her life was falling apart and there was nothing she could do about it. A single leaf singled through the air and landed on the water surface not far from where she was sitting. She reached out for it but it was out of her reach. She felt the anger resurface inside again as she stretched farther out, trying to reach it. Suddenly there was a loud splash behind her. She turned her head and saw a boy her own age swimming around at the more shallow part of the lake. Turning her head to lock had been a mistake, she lost her balance and fell into the water.  
  
"Gabrielle!"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Is that rabbit just about done? I'm starving"  
  
The Warrior Princess locked up from polishing her sword. She glanced over at her friend seated comfortably by the fire, cooking their lunch. It was actually her turn to cook, but they had both agreed that rabbit tasted too good to be wasted like that. It was midday and the sun was high, shining down on the two friends enjoying each others company.  
  
They had set up camp for the night by a small lake the day before, just before sunset and had been staying there until now. Xena had called it "taking a personal day" from work. She thought they could use some rest, a day doing nothing but fishing, sleeping and other relaxing things. Gabrielle had been surprised by her suggestion. The warrior wasn't usually the one to suggest such a thing. Then again they had been working hard these last couple of weeks, travelled from one village in jeopardy to another in a similar jam.  
  
Gabrielle grabbed a bucket that lay on the ground next to the saddlebags and tossed it without effort to Xena.  
  
"Great! Then why don't you get some water and work up an even healthier appetite at the same time." She teased" Your sword won't run away from you, it'll be here when you get back."  
  
She tried to suppress a smirk but failed. Xena locked eyes with the bard. There was a dangerous spark in the warrior's beautiful blue eyes. Gabrielle could feel a friendly fight was on it's way, it hadn't been her attention to start it. She just thought since she was doing the cooking, the Warrior Princess might as well make use of herself in another way. Xena put her trusty sword aside and kept her eyes locked on the bard.  
  
"You know, Gabrielle." She started" A sword is not something to make jokes about. It is a weapon and should be treated with respect just like any other. I don't make jokes about your staff do I?"  
  
"I was just kidding. I didn't mean to almost bring you to tears over it." She quickly realized what she had said and covered her mouth with both hands, wishing she could take it back. Xena rose from her seat, put her hands on her hips and stared at her friend.  
  
"Bring me to tears, huh?" she took a few steps closer to the bard who started moving away from the tall warrior. "Xena....I just thought you could make use of yourself by helping me out." She swallowed hard "But of course, if you don't want to get the water....I can always do it my self."  
  
She made an attempt at taking the water-bucket but Xena snatched it away from her. She smiled sweetly and started moving closer to the bard again. Gabrielle backed until she was standing at the edge of the water. One more step and she would fall in. Gabrielle took a look behind her with wide eyes and swallowed again. It was a very hot day, but she really didn't feel like taking a swim with her clothes on right now.  
  
"Come on Xena. Just give it to me and I'll get the water. I promise you don't have to do anything all day. Except maybe take a bath."  
  
"Oh, so now I'm dirty too huh?" she grabbed the bard's arm playfully.  
  
"Uhm...no...that's not what I meant. I just meant it's such a warm day and I thought you might want to cool off."  
  
Xena knew Gabrielle hadn't meant anything by it, but she was having fun seeing the bard so nervous. She didn't see any harm in making the bard take a little unwanted swim on such a hot day, her clothes would dry in minutes any way. Gabrielle didn't feel the same way though. As Xena gave her a gentle push thinking that was all it took to get her to loose her balance, the bard grabbed the warrior's arms and swung her around her back, causing Xena to trip and fall into the water. Gabrielle was so surprised at her little victory that she couldn't help but let out a little "Yes".  
  
She waited for Xena to return to the surface, a little nervous of the warrior's reaction to the accident. She waited but there was no sign of her friend. She started to get worried Xena had hit her head on a rock or something in the water. She bent over, leaning over the water to see if she could spot her friend. Suddenly a pair of strong arms grabbed her and pulled her in with a loud splash sending water everywhere. When she got to the surface gasping for air she found herself looking into a familiar pair of laughing, blue eyes.  
  
"Xeena!" Gabrielle screamed frustrated, spitting water. Xena looked at her with innocent eyes.  
  
"What? You pushed me in first."  
  
"Only because you were going to do it to me, stupid."  
  
"So now I'm stupid too." Xena announced angrily splashing water in her friend's face with such force Gabrielle threw her head back. She quickly returned fire and then dove beneath the surface for cover. As she got up again she looked around for Xena and saw her swimming out to the centre of the lake. She was swimming very fast seeming wanting to get to something out there.  
  
"Maybe she saw a big fish she wanted for dinner tonight." Gabrielle said to herself floating on her back gazing up at the white clouds in the sky. After staying that way for a few minutes she brought her thoughts back to her friend and looked over at where she had last seen her. Xena was swimming towards shore on her back, but she wasn't alone. There was something in her arms, and it wasn't a fish. It was a person, a girl. Xena was close now, Gabrielle swam out, helping the warrior bring the girl to dry land. Xena forced the girl's mouth open and blew air in her lungs trying desperately to revive her. Gabrielle sat besides her, holding her smaller hand in hers whispering southing words in her ear. Without warning the girl started coughing up water, Xena who happened to be bent over her became victim of the second splashing that day. Gabrielle helped the girl sit up and was kind enough to bang her on the back, making sure she spit it all out.  
  
The warrior wiped her face clean with the back of her hand and started to look for injuries on the girl's body. There were none. They spent a few minutes trying to calm her down, wrapping a blanket around her and offering some water. Xena took a good look at the young girl sitting on the ground. She had shoulder length brown hair that covered most of her face. Xena moved a stride of her wet hair aside and found that she had a look of terror on her face. She felt sympathy for the young thing who seemed very confused. Almost as if she had never seen this place before. And the clothes she wore, they didn't look like anything the warrior had ever set eyes on before.  
  
Annie coughed heavily and stared at the two strangers before her. There was something familiar about them both but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Her vision was a blur and she couldn't focus on the things surrounding her. It was very annoying not being able to see straight at a time like this. The last thing she remembered was falling in the lake. Her guess was that these people had some how rescued her and that she was now laying back on the bridge again.  
  
Her head was throbbing and she felt as if she was going to be sick any minute, and she really didn't want to. Annie blinked a few times and sighed with relief as she felt her vision coming back to normal again. Hands lifted her off the ground and helped her stand.  
  
This was the first time she actually saw the two women in front of her. One leather-clad warrior, with long dark hair, carrying a sword and a round thing in a belt at her waist. And one shorter, blond woman with beautiful sparkling green eyes and a warm smile covering her lips. She was also wearing strange clothes, not leather but still not quite what you expected a hot summer day like this.  
  
There was something veeery strange going on here. This didn't look at all like her home. The lake seemed a lot bigger than before, and where were all the buildings you could usually see miles away? Suddenly she was aware of where she was, who these two women were. She was also aware of something else. She was no longer in Wisconsin, she was in Greece.  
  
To be continued 


	2. Where did she come from?

Chapter Two  
  
Annie stared at the tall warrior. This couldn't be. This was not possible. "You...you" she pointed a shaking finger at Xena." You...you are...X...Xe...na. The....the Warrior Princess." She stammered. Her head was spinning so fast she had to put both hands on top of it to prevent it from flying off on it's own.  
  
"This can't be. I must be dreaming. Yes! That's right, this is just some crazy dream."  
  
Gabrielle reached over and slightly pinched the girl's arm to assure her she wasn't dreaming.  
  
"Yaow! Ow" Annie screamed in surprise. It didn't really hurt that bad, it was just that she didn't want anyone convincing her that this was reality. Because it couldn't be. She could not be in Greece with Xena and Gabrielle.  
  
She started backing away from them slowly to take a look around. Maybe she was at the set of Xena Warrior Princess. But how did she get here? Xena was filmed on New Zealand, not in Wisconsin. And where were all the people who worked on the set? Maybe someone was playing a joke on her.  
  
Gabrielle approached her and put a hand on her shaking shoulder.  
  
"It's ok. We're not gonna hurt you. Just relax."  
  
Xena approached as well with a concerned look on her face. Annie felt how she got week at the knees. Xena grabbed her and lowered her safely to the ground just in time.  
  
"Xena what happened?"  
  
"She fainted, Gabrielle."  
  
"She must be exhausted. What happened out there?"  
  
"I saw her bumping up and down in the water. I thought she was dead at first, then I noticed she was breathing, I grabbed her and when we got here she had stopped breathing. Well, you know the rest."  
  
Gabrielle nodded and put a hand on the girl's forehead.  
  
"Did you notice the way she stared at us? She had obviously heard of you before. Maybe she doesn't know you've changed and thought we were going to kill here or something."  
  
Xena felt a sting in her heart at the thought of someone thinking she was still a murdering warlord. She had changed. That was not her anymore and she was going to keep it that way.... forever. Gabrielle noticed the sadness in her friend's eyes and felt the guilt rise upon her.  
  
"No, Xena. I didn't mean it like that. That's not who you are at all anymore and most people know that."  
  
"It's alright, Gabrielle. You're not responsible for my past mistakes."  
  
Xena rose to her feet and walked over to her saddlebags. Gabrielle watched as she pulled out a pouch and took some powder between two fingertips. Then she took a cup, filled it with water and dumped the powder in it. She used her finger to stir and gave the cup to Gabrielle.  
  
"Here. Give her this when she wakes up. It will make her sleep through the rest of the day."  
  
"She looks like she could use it. Where are you going?" the bard asked with concern in her voice.  
  
"I just need to clear my head. I'm going for a quick walk. Stay here with her, ok?" The bard nodded as she watched her friend walk away. Xena was too proud to admit she hurt every time she was reminded off her warlord-days. Gabrielle wished Xena could see that she was no longer that woman. Gabrielle had seen the goodness from the first moment she lay eyes on the Warrior Princess.  
  
The day passed by slowly. Xena returned and found the bard sitting on a fallen log. She had moved the girl to her own bedding and was now sitting watching over her. Xena smiled at the sight. Leave it to Gabrielle to do the maternal stuff. The bard looked up at Xena and smiled back knowing exactly what she was thinking without having to ask. Gabrielle knew Xena had it in her too. She had already given birth to one child, Solan. Gabrielle still carried a lot off guilt about what happened to Solan. She knew Xena didn't blame her for his death, but she did. But she didn't blame Xena for the birth of her daughter any more, she had left that behind her in Illusia. Xena sat down next to her.  
  
"Have you eaten?" she asked.  
  
"No, I was waiting for you." She took two plates and started serving them both some rabbit. Xena looked at the girl sleeping peacefully under a thin blanket.  
  
"Did she wake up?"  
  
"Yes, I did what you said." She returned and handed Xena her plate. They both ate as if it was their last meal. No one spoke, they just sat there and enjoyed the silence and peacefulness surrounding them.  
  
Xena spent the rest of the day practising with her sword and relaxing in the sun. Gabrielle had just begun writing a new story which kept her busy most off the time. And that was the way she wanted it. She loved writing down the adventures of the Warrior Princess. She wanted others to see Xena the way she did. A good person with good intentions in life, and of course the best friend anyone could ever have. Xena would give her life for Gabrielle, and Gabrielle would do the same for her. She often put that into her stories, the sacrifices a person who had a friend like that could make just to keep her safe.  
  
The bard looked down at the girl sleeping on the ground. Maybe this was the beginning of another great adventure. Where had she come from anyway? The lake? Naah. She wasn't a mermaid. At least Gabrielle didn't think so. Though she had heard fairy-tales about mermaids who could change themselves into humans when there was a full moon. There had been a full moon last night.  
  
I'm just being stupid here, she's no mermaid´. She thought to herself. But it would have made a wonderful story if she had been.´  
  
To be continued 


	3. First talk

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess".  
  
Annie slowly opened her eyes, only to find that darkness surrounded her. It was night and the sky was filled with glowing, bright stars. She took a moment to listen to the sounds around her. But she could not hear any cars making noise or doors closing. Nothing like the sounds she heard when she woke up in her room in the middle of the night. But wait! How can I be looking at the stars when I'm in my room?´ she wondered. Then she realized that she had to be outside somewhere. But how did she get there.  
  
Oh, right. I'm in ancient Greece with Xena and Gabrielle´ she thought and closed her eyes again hoping to go back to sleep. Her eyes shot open again and she gasped for air. She sat up and looked around and what she saw shocked her. She was in the same camp as before. The fire was burning in the centre and the warrior and bard were sound asleep on their bedrolls.  
  
Panic rose inside her as she rose from her own bedroll and spun around facing the lake. It was not the lake she had fallen into at home. Somehow she had fallen in, Xena saved her and she had transported in time. But that was not possible, and especially not since Xena had never existed. She was a character on a TV-show not a real person in history.  
  
Maybe if I jump into the lake again, I will get back to my own time.´ she looked at the two sleeping women. They won't notice I'm gone until dawn when they awake, and by then I'll be home, sleeping in my own bed again. This won't be nothing but a bad dream.´ she started to walk towards the lake ready to jump in when a thought crossed her mind. What if the water was freezing? Then she felt the warm air touch her skin and remembered that it was not the same temperature here as at home. Instead of diving into the lake she carefully lowered herself in. She had never learned to dive even though all her friends knew how, it had always frightened her. But she had no trouble swimming so she swam out to the centre of the lake and stopped there.  
  
"Now what?" she wondered out loud in the dark. "Am I supposed to swim to the bottom of the lake like Xena does in the episode "Mortal beloved"? Or just stay here until I get eaten by some giant water-snake or a sea monster."  
  
"No, you're not supposed to do either one of them" a stern voice answered. Annie turned around in the water to see who was there. It was Xena. Annie sighed and rolled her eyes.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked annoyed about not being left alone to figure this mess out.  
  
"I think the question is.....what are you doing out here?"  
  
"I'm trying to find a way home, what does it look like?" She snapped at the warrior.  
  
"Well, I think it looks like you're swimming around in the same lake you almost drowned in earlier today when you are supposed to be in bed recovering from your accident, that's what it looks like to me. But what do I know any way........?"  
  
The girl studied the water surface, embarrassed she had lost her temper so easily. Xena was only trying to help. The warrior reached out her hand for Annie to take.  
  
"Here, climb onto my back and I'll take you back to camp." Annie hesitated. "Come on, we don't have all night." She accepted the warrior's hand and climbed onto her back. Xena had them back in camp in no time and she helped Annie get out of her wet clothes and into some spare ones she borrowed from the bard. She threw a few sticks on the fire to keep it burning and then sat down next to Annie on the log next to the fire.  
  
When she didn't say anything Xena spoke:  
  
"So, where did you hear my name? You knew it before I had a chance to introduce myself."  
  
Annie carefully considered her answer to that question. She couldn't exactly tell her that where she came from Xena and Gabrielle were both on television and were the main characters on a show.  
  
"Well........where I come from everybody......sort of.........knows who you are, and Gabrielle too of course."  
  
They both sat silent a while, gazing up at the night sky.  
  
"Well, since you know who we are, I think it's time you tell us about you. You can start with your name." Xena said. She had to admit she was getting pretty curious about this girl.  
  
"It's Antonia, but everyone calls me Annie. What else do you want to know?" she asked, hoping Xena would say she didn't need to know anything else.  
  
"Why did you get into trouble in the lake? Just got tired of swimming or something?"  
  
"Yes, that's right. I had been out there swimming for hours when you found me and I just couldn't go on any longer when you saved me." Annie lied. Xena noticed the guilty expression on her face and the way she bit her lip. She put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I know you're lying to me now, Annie." She said in a gentle tone. "Why don't you try telling me the truth, I promise I won't be angry or shocked or what ever reaction you're afraid of."  
  
Annie studied the warrior sitting next to her by the fire. Perhaps she wouldn't freak out if she told her where she was from. If this really was the same ancient Greece like in "Xena Warrior Princess" then it was a place where anything could happen. Anything was possible. The woman had such an understanding and sympathetic expression written across her face. It was as if she already knew Annie had a secret that needed to come out. She needed to trust someone.  
  
Strange, I spend so much time at home, wishing I had a friend like Xena to talk to and now I'm here with the opportunity to tell her what ever I feel like and I'm afraid to do it.´  
  
The girl collected all her courage and spoke:  
  
"You'll probably think I'm crazy when I tell you this," she saw the warrior's encouraging look and smiled a little" Or maybe you won't." she let out a long breath.  
  
"You've probably guessed that I'm not from around here. I come from a different world, or perhaps it's the future, I'm not sure which. I had a fight with my mother today and went down to a lake at home. Some how I managed to fall in the water and I must have gone through a portal or something and landed in this lake" she pointed at the lake, "In your world."  
  
She looked at Xena who had been sitting quiet, listening to her story. She didn't look shocked at all. But this was obviously not the explanation she had expected either.  
  
"Ok. That was not what I thought you'd say, but that explains why you said you were going home when you were out there. Are you sure that is the way you got here?" she asked a little sceptical at the idea.  
  
"That is the only explanation I can think of. I mean one moment I'm in a lake in my world and the next I'm in a similar one but here. You don't believe me?"  
  
Xena watched the girl and recalled the way Annie had acted when she first woke up and understood she had almost drowned. Surprised at her surroundings and scared. No, she wasn't making this up. Xena knew when someone was lying to her, and this girl was not.  
  
"I believe you. I've seen some pretty unbelievable things happen. And this has never happened to you before?"  
  
"Uh.....No....I didn't even know this kind of thing could happen. It's not exactly common in my world." She frowned at how bizarre it all was. "I thought that if I swam to the bottom of the lake, maybe I would get ba......" she began but Xena interrupted her.  
  
"That's out of the question. You could be wrong and then you won't have enough air left to make it back up again." She rose and signalled for Annie to do the same. "Get some sleep now. I'll try to think of a way to help you in the morning, alright?"  
  
Annie nodded. She felt much better now that she had told Xena what she believed was the truth. She lay down on her bedding and closed her eyes, not expecting to go to sleep.But she did and didn't wake up again until dawn, and the next day was about to start.  
  
To be continued 


	4. Antonia's destiny

Title: Someone please believe in me

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess", I'm just borrowing them for the story.

Annie was seated on a log by the camp fire with Xena and Gabrielle. It was early in the morning and they were having fish and berries for breakfast. They ate in silence and when they were finished Xena spoke.

"Gabrielle."

The bard looked up from her plate. "What?"

"Could you take Annie with you down to the lake and do the dishes, please."

"Yeah, sure. What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna try to get to the bottom of this." She said and started walking into the woods. Then she turned "Be back in a minute, ok?"

Gabrielle nodded. She watched her large friend walk off and tried to control her curiosity of what the warrior was up to now. She rose from her seat and collected the plates.

"You wanna help me?" she asked the girl trying to start a conversation.

"Sure, if you need it." She answered and got up and almost tripped over Gabrielle's staff which was leaning against the log. She quickly found her balance again and picked it up to see if she had caused any real damage to it. It was unharmed.

"Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" the bard asked worriedly.

Annie blushed and wondered why she was always so clumsy around other people. She handed the staff to Gabrielle and buried her face in her hands. And then it happened, the tears came running down her face and she couldn't stop them.

"Hey, hey, what's the matter?" Gabrielle asked. The only answer she got was muffled sobs from the girl. The bard put an arm around the shaking girl's shoulders and did her best to comfort her. "Look, Xena told me what you told her last night. We both believe you and she has gone to find out what's going on here. She'll find a way for you to get home again, I'm sure of it, you have nothing to worry about." She tried to sound as confident as she possibly could but that was not an easy task. This whole situation with the girl confused her, she had never heard anything like it before. But it was going to make such a great story as soon as she wrote it down.

"You don't know that." She cried into her hands. "I know Xena has solved a lot of troubles and what she's capable of, but I doubt she'll do it this time."

"How do you know so much about us? Have you heard stories?"

"Uhm...sort of, yeah."

A clearing in the forest:

Xena stood in the middle of the clearing, practising with her sword, hoping it would help clear her mind. She didn't have any ideas of how to help the girl yet but she did know one person she could ask, but that didn't mean that she had to look forward to asking his advice. She took a deep breath and called his name.

"Ares! Come out!"

"Xena." A voice said from behind her. She turned but the person standing before her was not who she had expected. It was no male god. It was a goddess that Xena had never met before.

"Yes. Who are you?" she asked a bit suspicious of the stranger.

"I am Hestia, the goddess Hestia. And I have come to tell you something important about the young girl you met yesterday." The goddess saw the confusion on the warrior's face and the way she scanned her surroundings. "Oh, yes. I believe you were expecting Ares. He is the one you called for is he not?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, I was expecting him to turn up. But if you have information about the girl, then I would like to have it........please. I believe it would be helpful."

Xena studied the goddess. She wore a long white dress and a fire seemed to surround her, as if she was protected by a shield of fire that no one could brake through. Except perhaps another god. She had red hair, that shimmered in the sun light and a ruby necklace around her neck.

"I believe so too. That is part of the reason I'm here. This girl that you have in your camp, the one who came from the water." Xena nodded for her to continue "Her name is Antonia, she is from a different world. But you already know that, she told you. That's good, it means she trusts you enough to confide in you." The goddess paused and circled the warrior. Xena didn't feel the woman was any threat to her, so she put her sword away for the time being and sat down on a rock.

"What is she doing here then if she doesn't belong here?" she asked, wishing Hestia would just get to the part where she told her how she could help the kid.

"She was sent here for a reason, she is someone who will one day be a part of history. She is here to discover who she is, to find herself, the real Antonia. Right now she has nothing to go back for, she may not know it, but her family and people where she's from are not capable of loving her the way she deserves right now. And she needs time as well. That she will get here, with the Warrior Princess as her mentor and the Bard of Potedia as her friend." She finished and waited for the warrior's reaction.

Xena had kept quiet during Hestia's announcement of her own future and Gabrielle's and Annie's. Once again the gods thought they could control her destiny. Well, they were wrong as usual.

"Look, I have no interest in taking care of this kid, or train her to become a warrior...." Xena began but was interrupted by the goddess.

"No, no, no. You are not supposed to train her to become a warrior. She......and only she can make the decision of what she is to become. You are only supposed to guide her, to help her." She explained, trying to make Xena see her part of the situation.

"It doesn't matter because I can't do that." Xena simply said.

"Why not?"

"Well, frankly I just don't think I'm the right person for the job. If all this you say is true and she is this person, then she should be with a good person who can teach her what's right and what's wrong in life. Show her the right path and that stuff.........and that, Hestia, is not me." Xena said with sadness and determination in her voice. A part of her actually wished it was, but she had learned a long time ago to accept who she was, and what she could accomplish as herself.

"The person you talk about exists of course. But that person is not the right one for her to be with, that much I know. You are the one, Xena Warrior Princess."

"Alright, enough if this. Tell me how to get her home...or I'll just have to find someone else to ask."

"When the time comes, you'll know."

Xena watched as Hestia disappeared in a bright red light that blinded her for a moment. When she opened her eyes again she was alone in the clearing. She began to make her way back to camp, her head spinning and rage growing. How dared the gods interfere with her life.

"Now what am I going to tell her? That she can't go home? That she has to stay here as an orphan?" she asked herself as she angrily stomped back towards camp.

When she entered the camp site she saw Gabrielle sitting on the log with Annie by her side. She was reading a scroll to the girl who looked like she had been crying recently. That made Xena feel even worse about having to tell her she didn't know how to help her. But then as she was standing in the shadows watching her friend with the girl it hit her. She got an idea.

She stepped into the light.

"Xena! You're back. How did it go?"

"What?" she asked.

"Uh...I don't know. What ever it was you left to do."

"Not so good." She answered honestly, not wanting to lie to her friend even though Annie was there. "I need to talk to you."

The bard followed her friend behind some bushes so that Annie couldn't over hear them talking "What is it?"

"I went to talk to Ares, but instead I met Hestia..."

"You saw Hestia? I wish I could have been there to see her." The bard replayed a bit upset at her friend for not asking her to come along. Not that she did very often when it had something to do with Ares. "What was she like? She's Zeus's sister, and she's supposed to be the gentlest of all the Olympians."

Xena smiled at Gabrielle's enthusiasm. "Cryptic, that's what she is. She told me Annie was here to make some sort of discovery about who she is, that she is to become a part of history and she has to stay here with us until she is ready to go home to her family, and until they are ready to have her back."

"Noooo! That's not true!"

The warrior and the bard spun around and saw a small figure coming out from behind a tree. But there were no tears this time, only anger.

"What are you doing listening to other peoples' private conversations?" Xena asked.

"It shouldn't have been made private when it's about me!!" Annie shouted at them. "I'm not staying here! I'm going home right NOW!" she screamed and ran towards the lake. Xena and Gabrielle watched in horror as Annie dove into the water and started swimming further and further out. Xena ran to the edge and flipped out into the lake, landing next to her.

"That won't work! Swimming to the bottom is only going to get you killed, not home."

Annie ignored her and continued swimming, so did Xena. "I don't want to listen to you, leave me alone!"

"I do have an idea that might work but I need you to stop first and listen to what I have to say, can you do that?" she asked in a gentle tone. Annie realized that she was out of options any way. Xena wasn't going to let her swim to the bottom, she'd stop her. She had to listen. "There is an oracle in the next town, people say she can see and knows everything. Now, normally I don't trust in these sort of things but I can't think of anything else at the moment. We'll ask her if she knows a way to help you, alright?"

Annie nodded. She already knew the drill and climbed onto the warrior's back so she could get them both back to dry land.

To be continued


	5. The oracle

**_Title: Someone please believe in me_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess", I'm just borrowing them for the story._**

It was a perfect day on the road, if you didn't count the mood of the three travellers on it. Xena was mostly quiet and Annie was angry. Angry at the woman on the war horse and at the one walking beside her for not being able to help her the way she had thought they would. She was angry with her mother, and her father too because he probably didn't even know she was missing and probably didn't even care.

Xena had explained what that Hestia person had said about people at home, including her family, not being ready to have her back yet. She had also told her about the history part. She just didn't understand it. How could her family not be ready when they had lived with her for the past fourteen years?

"Xena?"

"Yeah"

"I don't understand. Me a part of history?!"

Xena sighed and looked at the young person walking down the road with them. "That's what she said, Annie. Hopefully we'll find out more when we reach the village."

They continued walking in silence until they reached a spot with a sign that said "Polnas" pointing to the right and another one that said "Athens". They headed for "Polnas" and the closer they got the more worried Annie became. What if the oracle didn't know how to help her, maybe she had no idea who she was or maybe she was just a fake. I just have to trust Xena.´ she thought.

An hour later they entered the village. Gabrielle looked around at the place. She had never been here before, but clearly Xena had. They were actually supposed to go to Athens but changed their plans because the oracle was known to live here and they needed someone who knew everything right now.

It looked a lot like every other village they had ever visited, except it was bigger and the people didn't seem very common. Most of them were dressed real nice in clothes that reminded the Bard of Rome. She had been to Athens before but they had always come from a different direction then, maybe that's why she had never noticed this place before or the signs pointing to it.

"Xena, do you know where this oracle lives?" she asked.

"No, but I'm going to ask around. There is a tavern, why don't you two wait for me there and I'll be back as soon as I can."

Gabrielle frowned at the idea of being left behind for the second time today. "Xena, I'd like to go with you and see the oracle." She said.

Xena stopped walking in the middle of the street and turned to her friend. "Gabrielle, we can't both go and leave Annie alone here. I want to go talk to the oracle alone, just in case it's all a rumour, perhaps it's a bluff, made up to get people to pay someone who tells them their future or something." She spoke in a low voice but Annie still heard every word and prayed that Xena was wrong. But she didn't want to wait with Gabrielle anywhere, she should be the one to talk to the oracle and explain things.

While she had stood deep in thought the two friends had decided that Gabrielle would take Annie to the tavern and get a room for them and something to eat and Xena would join them as soon as possible. Gabrielle agreed it was important not to let the young one out of their sight and one of them had to stay with her. Xena knew more about this oracle than she did so she should be the one to go.

Xena gave Argo's reins to Gabrielle and she and Annie walked over to a stable where they paid a man so they could leave the horse there during the night. Then they headed for the tavern and Xena walked down the street, slightly annoyed by the looks people were giving her.

She saw a big tent in the middle of the market place, it reminded of a circus tent and a big crowd was standing outside. They seemed to be waiting for something...or someone. Xena decided to take a closer look. Luckily the crown was gathered by the opening but the back was all clear. Xena approached a man in the crown outside. He was wearing a green tunic and a pair of black pants and a silly little hat that made him look like Santa clause.

"Good day. Can I ask you a question?" Xena asked, doing her best to be polite even though the heat was killing her. The man turned around to face her.

"Good day stranger. What brings you here?"

Xena sighed and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "I'm looking for someone. Is this the oracle's tent?" she asked and had a feeling the answer would be yes.

"Who wants to know?" the stubborn man asked. "We should introduce ourselves. I'm Yato."

Xena tried her best to show patience, she didn't have time for this. "The name is Xena. Now answer my question, please." She didn't want to sneak her way into the wrong place.

"Xena? The Warrior Princess?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

For a moment Yato just stared at her "Oh right. The answer is yes, Warrior Princess. This is her tent. That's why there are so many people here, we need her advice."

"Well, first of all, call me Xena, not Warrior Princess. Just one more question, Yato. This woman, does she make you pay for her services?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, yes. Sometimes she does, she has to." Xena arched a brow . "She has to make a living."

Xena nodded. "Yeah I'm sure she does that too. Thanks for the information, Yato. You've been a real help." She walked away to the back of the tent, took out a knife from her boot and quietly used it to make a small hole she could peek through into the tent. She could see the oracle sitting at a small table with a young woman.

"Please have a seat, miss." Xena heard the oracle say, but she couldn't see her. "Now, give me your hand and I will tell you what your future looks like."

Xena enlarged the hole a little more so she could see both women. The younger woman gave the oracle her hand and she began chanting. Xena watched with amusement, she couldn't understand how some people could fall for this kind of thing. It was obvious it was all a scam, she had seen it before and needed to see no more. She got up and left and decided there was one place she needed to visit before joining her friend and the girl at the tavern. The lawman's house. She would tell him about the fake oracle and what was going on down there.

**_Inside the tavern:_**

Gabrielle and Annie sat at the table and the young Bard was desperately trying to entertain the girl with a very exciting story about how Xena and Hercules freed Prometheus but she didn't seem interested, just sat there and stared out the window.

Gabrielle waited impatiently for the warrior to return so they would get some news, and she really hoped they were good news.

Annie sighed deeply and Gabrielle gave up the story telling, it wasn't doing any good. But she knew something that always made her feel better when she was depressed.

"Hey, do you want something to eat? " she asked and waited for the girl's reaction. Once again Annie sighed but this time she raised her head to at least look at Gabrielle. Then suddenly her eyes started to shine and she sat up straight.

"I'd love some...what ever you can find will be fine." She assured Gabrielle with a smile. Annie's sudden change of mode surprised her but she smiled back and rose from her seat.

"Good, you just wait right here and I'll be back. I think I'll order something for Xena too, she should be here any minute and she's probably very hungry."

Annie nodded, but the warrior's hunger didn't interest her very much now that she had a plan forming in her head. The tavern was crowded with hungry villagers, kids and drunken warriors. Gabrielle wouldn't notice when she left. The moment the bard was out of sight she got up and ran towards an open window. They were on the first floor so it wasn't far to the ground. She landed on the grass with a loud thud and looked around.

Hope nobody saw me do that.´ she thought to herself as she got up and ran down the road, the same way she had seen Xena go earlier. She ran passed the stable and passed some funny dressed kids playing on the road. Then something caught her attention a little further down. It was a large tent with a crowd gathered outside.

"That has to be the oracle's tent!"

She kept running until she reached it, then stopped to look at her surroundings. What was the quickest way in? Maybe she could dig her way in, or use a window. No, tents didn't have windows.

Or I could stand in line, but then Xena will probably find me before I get a chance to talk to the oracle about my situation here.´ she thought.

She spotted a man coming out the door. He put his hands up in the air, waving them back and forth to get every ones' attention.

"People! The oracle will now take a short brake to rest her powers. She will see all of you in a few minutes and answer all your questions."

A brake, then she would be alone now for a little while. That would give Annie the chance she needed to talk to her. She quietly slipped past the crowd and to the back of the tent. There she discovered a whole someone, perhaps Xena, had made. Through it she could see into the oracle's tent. And she could see the oracle, an old woman with hair as black as the night and a pair of green eyes. She wasn't alone though, the man had now joined her inside again and they were both sitting at a small table.

"It's all working perfectly, Mira. As long as you keep telling them what they want to hear, no one will complain." The man said. He had red hair and looked to be around fifty years old. She noticed a scar on his left cheek, it was old. Something about his appearance made her stomach feel weird, he looked real creepy with his pale skin.

"Yes, but I think it's time to move to another town, or else people might get suspicious."

Annie received a real chock when she heard what they said. So it was all a scam, not real. In astonishment she took a step back and lost her balance. She fell backwards and landed with a thud. She got back up, bent down and took another look in the tent, nothing had changed except that the man had disappeared. Probably just telling the people outside that the "oracle" is ready to start seeing them again.´ she thought.

She was seated at the table, looking at some notes on a parchment in front of her. Why is she just sitting there? And why doesn't some one new come in to get cheated?´ she wondered. Suddenly she felt a hand grasp her arm and haul her up. She looked up and found herself staring into the red-haired man's cold and hostile eyes. For a moment she was convinced he was going to wring her neck.

"Who are you?!" he screamed in the girl's face. She felt herself tremble and her knees shaking. "Answer me!!"

"An...Annie." she stammered as she felt his grip tighten. "Ow, let go!" her fear turned into anger as he refused to let go and instead tightened his hold even more. Her arm began to hurt and kept hurting even when he let go and instead grabbed a hold on both her wrists, shaking her back and forth.

"And what did you hear?! I asked you a question girl, now you answer me right away before I wring your neck and feed you to my dogs!!" He turned his head and saw the hole that had been made. He raised his hand and slapped her across the face with the back of it. Tears started to run down her soon to be bruised cheek and she closed her eyes, waiting for another blow to come. But it never came, instead she felt him let her go and she sat down on the ground and buried her face in her hands. She understood she was no longer alone with him, someone had come and that person was now fighting him off. She could hear punches being thrown and then one of them run off. Then she felt a pair of strong arms lift her up and carry her away.

**_To be continued_**


	6. Everybody makes mistakes

**Title: Someone, please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess", I'm just borrowing them for the story.**

Annie felt something cold and wet being pressed against her cheek. She felt she was laying on something soft. That was strange, it felt like a bed. It couldn't be her bed, she remembered where she was. In Ancient Greece, a land in turmoil. She ran her hand across something that felt like a blanket, but she didn't think she was on the ground.

Suddenly she heard a voice.

"Annie? Are you awake?" the voice said. Slowly she opened her eyes and stared into a pair of incredibly blue eyes which unfortunately belonged to Xena. She had hoped it would be someone else since she figured the warrior would be pretty mad at her now, and that frightened her a bit. But she didn't look angry, just concerned, sort of like last time she woke up like this, after the lake.

"How are you feeling?" Xena asked worriedly. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning over her. Annie made an attempt to sit up but Xena gently pushed her back down again. "Don't try to get up just yet; I don't want you passing out again."

"I'm alright, just a little dizzy." She gazed around the small room with three beds and a small table with a couple of chairs in it and a bathtub. But no blond Bard in sight.

"Where is Gabrielle?"

"She's downstairs getting the food so we can eat it up here when you're feeling better." She stood up and walked over to the window. She stood there for a few minutes whiteout saying anything. "What were you doing down there?" She finally asked in a quiet voice.

Annie took a deep breath and collected her carriage to face the woman who was trying to help her. "I thought I should be the one to talk to the oracle, because...well since...I don't know what I was thinking." She finished. The dizziness had disappeared now so she sat up straight in the bed and felt her cheek burning.

"Evidently. You could have been killed. If you had just waited I could have told you she was a fake."

"Did you suspect it from the beginning?" Annie asked and Xena nodded. "You could have told me that then." She said in an upset voice.

Xena turned around. "Yes, I could have. But I didn't expect you to run off like you did." She said harshly but immediately regretted her tone when she saw the girl wipe a tear away.

"How will I ever get home now?" she asked in a cracked little voice.

"We'll find another way." Said a voice coming from the door. There stood Gabrielle with a tray with food in her hands. "Right Xena?"

Sad and ashamed she had left the Bard like that earlier, Annie avoided to look her in the eye.

Then she noticed something on a chair by the table. It was a blue dress, her size and a pair of simple brown boats next to it.

Xena avoided answering the question because it didn't feel right to promise such a thing. Hestia had said that she would know how when the time came, but then again, the gods couldn't be trusted. If there was one thing she had learned it was that.

"How do you like the clothes? Gabrielle went out and bought it for you so you wouldn't attract so much attention to yourself."

Annie hadn't even thought about the fact that she had been wearing her clothes from home all day. Maybe that was the reason people had been staring at her on the streets and inside the tavern.

"Oh, they're very nice, thanks." She said honestly and tried to smile a little even though there was not much to smile about. She missed her home, parents and even school a little.

Gabrielle put the tray down on the table and grabbed the clothes on the chair and handed them to the girl. "Here, try them on. I want to see how they look on you."

"Okay, fine." She put them on and walked around the room a little to see how the boots felt. They felt great, like they had been used before actually, and maybe they had. Not that that bothered her and she wasn't about to ask either.

Gabrielle set the table and the three of them sat down to eat the lamb stew that the Bard had brought up with ale for Xena and water for herself and Annie since neither one of them drank.

Well, they had never asked but they were not about to let the girl drink anything strong at her age any way.

"How long are we staying here?" Annie asked without looking up from her plate. "How am I supposed to get home?"

Xena looked up and exchanged glances with Gabrielle. "Not long. We're moving on soon, unless there is something you'd like to do here before we go?"

Annie shook her head and continued eating. "I'm sorry about earlier, I should have waited for you to get back."

"Yeah, you should. But it's alright, everybody makes mistakes, it's human." Xena said. "I'm going to be completely honest with you." She took a deep breath and exhaled. "I don't know how to get you home, I don't have any more ideas...except one, and it's a stupid one and will probably require sacrifices."

Annie met the warrior's gaze. "What is it?" she asked, but feared the answer.

"Ares."

"Xena, no." Gabrielle cut in. "Every time he gets involved nothing turns out good."

"I know. But unless you have a better idea, I'm gonna have to have a talk with him sooner or later. Might as well be now, as soon as we've finished lunch."

Annie knew very well what Ares usually wanted as a favour for helping Xena out. He wanted her back, living as his warrior queen, killing innocent people in his name. He had always wanted the old Xena back and that was what he would want now too if she went to him. She couldn't ask her to do that.

"I don't want you to go to Ares." She blurted out and dropped her knife on her plate. "I know what he'll ask of you and it isn't worth it. Not even to get me home."

"Maybe you do know what he'll ask of me, but that really isn't the point, Annie. We have to get you home and this is our only option. I don't have any thing else to work with here so you're just going to have to accept that I'm going to Ares to ask for his help. Even if he doesn't have the power to send you home he might know something that will help us."

Annie lowered her stare a bit and thought about what Xena had just said. She knew there was not much she could say that would make her change her mind, besides, Xena always managed to outsmart Ares any way so she would find a way out of it later if his services did require favours. "Alright, guess there is not much I can say to get you to change your mind."

Gabrielle giggled. "She has a point." She stopped as she received a warning glare from her friend. "I'll take the dishes down to the tavern."

"No it's okay, I'll do that. I have to go out any way." She rose from her seat and collected all the plates and glasses. Gabrielle knew exactly what that meant. Xena was going out to talk to Ares. All she had to do was call his name a few times and he would come - like always.

"Can I go with you? I'd like to meet Ares." Said Annie but both women hook their heads. "Why not? I feel much better now that I've eaten and rested." She tried.

"I don't want you running around out there now, you need to take it easy and I need to be alone with him."

Annie sighed deeply and frowned. She didn't want to spend all day, or what was left of it, up in their hired room alone, resting. Xena saw the disappointment on the girl's face and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be back in a few hours and then if you feel up for it, we can all go out and look around. Besides, I also have to talk to the one in charge around here about that fake oracle and the guy working for her."

"Why? Do you think they'll leave town and keep tricking people?"

Xena smiled. "Maybe not the red haired man, he won't be going any where for a while."

"You beat him up that bad, huh?" Annie asked a little too excited.

Gabrielle coughed a little to get the warrior's attention. She didn't think that kind of talk was appropriate in front of the girl right now. "Uhm...no...just a little." She hurried to exit the room before she got any more questions she couldn't answer.

**To be continued**


	7. An old friend and an old enemy

**_Title: Someone please, believe in me_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess" I'm just borrowing them for the story._**

Xena once again walked down the street, passed building after building, looking for a private alley to enter. This place really reminded her of Rome, and just like it, it gave her the creeps. And going to see Ares wasn't making it any better. All the things he had done to her and the pain he had caused her and still she went to him when she needed help. This was certainly a last resort, she couldn't think of anything else so he was her last chance. This world was no place for a child to grow up in if it could be avoided, that had already been proven to her with the death of her son not long ago.

Xena shook her head and stopped to catch her breath. Can't let the heat get to me.´ she thought and wiped the sweat from her face with her hand. She sighed as she saw a familiar figure approaching her from across the street. It was that same guy from outside the tent earlier, Yato.

"Hello again, you're still here. Did you get to meet the oracle? I didn't unfortunately, she and her people disappeared and no one knows why. Strange." He babbled on.

Xena crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you want, Yato?" she asked.

Yato reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small bottle made of glass and showed it to the Warrior. "I sell this magical water from a magical spring far, far away from where you and I are standing right now. One sip of this and you won't be thirsty again for two hours no matter how hot it is outside." He claimed waving a hand in front of his face to cool himself down.

Xena raised a brow in doubt. "And why are you telling me this?"

Yato put and arm around her shoulders and lowered his voice a bit as if he was about to whisper a secret in her ear. "Well, you see, you're looking very hot." He commented. It took him about three seconds to realize what he had just said and take a step back to keep from being strangled.

Xena felt the rage run through her and was just about to grab a piece of Yato's hair and pull him back to answer a few questions when the sound of a familiar voice made her stop and turn around. There stood a short, grey haired little man, wearing something that looked like a blue dress. He smiled from ear to ear and ran towards her with both arms waving in the air.

"Xena!!!!I can't believe my eyes, you're here in...what ever this place is called. It's been so long, aren't you glad to see me?"

Xena took a deep breath and tried to calm herself the best she could. She closed her eyes and counted to ten, fast, then opened them again. "Salmoneus, nice to see you again." She looked at Yato. "Making money selling water, huh? I should have known you worked for Salmoneus."

"It's very delicious water, honest." He assured her.

As she stood there she realized she had totally forgotten what it was she had gone out to do in the first place. Gabrielle and Annie were waiting for her to come back so she'd better get this over with.

"By the way, when I said hot, I didn't mean hot as in HOT, I meant, well...you know...since it's such a warm day and all..."

"It's alright Yato, I'm sure Xena understands what you meant." Salmoneus cut in. By the look on the warrior's face he could tell Yato could use all the help he could get right now. And he had been in Yato's shoes more than once with the Warrior Princess so he knew.

"I don't have time for this." Xena said and started to walk away. "Salmoneus!"

"Yeah."

"Why don't you take Yato with you and go to that tavern over there" she pointed at the house up the street. "Gabrielle is there and a friend of ours, go say hello and keep them company if you've got the time." Before he had time to answer she took off running further down the street.

"Wow, Sally. You never told me you knew the Warrior Princess and her friend." Yato said with eyes full of admiration.

"Well, you know, I just don't like to brag. And don't call me Sally, my name is SALMONEUS. It always has been...sort of, and always will be. Except if there is an emergency and a customer for some unexplainable reason is trying to kill me."

Yato gave his employer a puzzled stare but decided it was better not to ask. He had so much to learn from this man, one day he wanted to be a great salesman just like Salmoneus.

The two men made their way over to the tavern and entered.

In the mean while Xena had found a perfect, private alley to have a private conversation in. The place was dark because of the quite tall building on each side that created a shade. But it was perfect, here they would not draw so much attention to themselves as they would if they went out and mixed with the crowd on the streets and squares. Ares, like herself was a "stand out in a crowd" kind of guy around here with his dark hair and beard and leather clad self. If Xena didn't feel so much contempt for the man she would find the muscular war god quite a catch.

"Ares!!!!!Ares, show yourself! NOW!!" she yelled. A shimmer appeared and suddenly there he was, standing in front of her.

"You rang."

"I believe you already know what's going on, so lets skip the small talk and get right down to business. Can you help me?" She took a few steps closer to him and he did the same. She stopped and he circled around her, creating a small ring of foot prints around her in the dark sand on the ground. He then stopped in front of her again, but this time closer.

"Yes, I do know what's happening in your life right now, as always. But I'm sorry to have to say no, I can't help you send the girl back."

Xena frowned and took another step closer so that their bodies were now slightly making contact. "Why not? If there is something you want from me then it's yours, within reason" she quickly added. "But I need to send this one home to her family. I know what it's like to lose one."

"My dear Xena, I would gladly help you if it was within my power to do so. But unfortunately it's not." He said with a grin that sent a shiver up her neck.

"You're a god, Ares. Of course you can, if you want to, you can."

He reached out and tried to touch her cheek but she slapped his hand away. "Why can't you do it then? What's stopping you?"

"You can't temper with fate, or destiny, Xena. You should know that from personal experience."

"I believe we make our own destiny, and this is not the place for her to grow up."

"Maybe so, but there is also the other Olympians to consider. Hestia went to Zeus and made sure I wouldn't interfere with Antonia's life. Her life has a purpose here." He leaned closer to her face. "In other words, she's your problem now." He raised his hand and readied himself to disappear.

"Wait! Are you telling me there is absolutely no way for me to send her home again?" she asked and hoped the answer would be that there was a way.

"You'll know how when the time comes, until then...you'd better take care of her and guide her, she's a part of your life now you know." He snapped his fingers and vanished from the spot without a trace, leaving the warrior alone in the alley.

_**To be continued**_


	8. Let's go back

**_Title: Someone please believe in me_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess", I'm just borrowing them for the story._**

Xena pushed the door open to another tavern than the one Gabrielle and Annie was in, waiting for her return. Salmoneus and Yato were probably there with them too by now and she would join them soon but right now, she was in serious need of a drink, the heat was killing her and she was in an even worse mood than before.

What was going on here? One moment everything was fine, just a usual day in her life with the Bard...and the next, Annie shows up in their lives. She was beginning to think that Hestia and Ares were right, that there was no way to send her home until the right time, when ever that was. But it worried her that she didn't know when that time would come. It could be days, or months or perhaps even years before then and in the mean time Annie was suddenly her responsibility. She seemed like an okay kid but Xena didn't think she was the right person to be taking care of her. She had already lost one child and was not ready to put another one in danger.

She went over to the bar and ordered what ever strong stuff they had and sat down, glad to be out of the sun for a while.

Alright, what am I going to do? I have to think something out´ she thought and buried her face in her hands. Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned her head to see who it was. There stood a dirty soldier dressed in black leathers, boots and greasy blond hair sticking out from beneath a steel helmet.

"Hi there. Can I buy you a drink, little lady? I'll buy one for you and one for me..." he rambled on. Xena wished she could just close her eyes and make him go up in smoke.

"No thanks, I don't want you to buy me a drink. And I think you've had one too many yourself." She said and hoped he could take a hint. It was obvious he was really drunk and perhaps that made it even harder for him to do that. He came closer to her and grabbed her chin and tried to kiss her in a not very gentleman kind of style. She immediately brought a fist to his face and he pulled away and felt his nose bleeding badly. She had hoped that would make him leave but just as she suspected it only made him angrier, so before he could act on his thought to try to knock her out she stood up and through him through the closest window.

At her surprise she felt another tap on her shoulder. She spun around and expected to see a big drunk warlord or something that would really make her day, but instead she saw the familiar face of a girl. As she stared at her she felt the anger about to boil over inside her.

"_WHAT _are you doing here!!?" she screamed at Annie's face. The girl's face grew pale and then red. "Come on, answer me!!" she kept on screaming.

Annie took a step back "Ga...Gabrielle sent me. I got so tired of listening to that little man with the beard talking, trying to sell her stuff that when I asked her if I could go see what was keeping you she said yes." She explained in a slightly trembling voice.

Xena took a deep breath to calm herself. She had jumped to conclusions this time and she felt guilty about it too. She had thought Annie had just taken off on her own again after she had told her not to because she wanted to talk to Ares herself. The warrior reached out her hand and caressed the girl's cheek.

"Sorry about that, I'm letting the heat get to me. And I have bad news." She continued against her own will "Ares couldn't help." She said and waited for the tears to come rolling down Annie's face again like last time. But they didn't. Instead she got an answer she hadn't expected.

"Alright then, let's go." She turned around and walked out the door, out of the crowded tavern and out on the street again.

"Not that I'm not happy you're not more upset, but I expected a totally different reaction from you, Annie." Xena said as she stood at her side, watching the people walk by. She out a hand on Annie's shoulder to comfort her since she wasn't sure what else she should do.

"To tell you the truth I was kind of prepared for this, I didn't think he would be able to help either." She said in a disappointed voice.

"Why not?"

"Just a feeling I had I guess." She looked up at the sky and saw the sun high up there in it's place. It was the same sun her family could be watching where ever they were, and the same sky as the one at home. But it didn't feel that way to her. When she was at home and looked up at the sky like that she would wish she could just fly away and leave until what ever had gone wrong that particular day would be forgotten and forgiven. But now...when she looked up at it, she felt free. She actually felt better than she had in a long time.

Of course she missed her parents, but things had been so hectic at home lately, for a long time now actually, that she figured maybe she should take advantage of this opportunity and live the way she had always wanted to live. Like a free person.

Still she could not keep this one little tear from rolling down her face and then fall to the ground she was standing on.

"Xena?"

"Hmm."

"I don't think I have much choice. I think I am supposed to stay here until I have completed what I was sent here to do." She said and held her breath while waiting for the warrior's response, hoping it would be what he was hoping it would, that she could stay with her and Gabrielle while waiting to get sent back home.

Xena looked at the fourteen year old girl standing beside her, dressed like any other villager around. "You know what, I think you're right."

Annie threw herself into Xena's arms. "Thank you."

Xena chuckled and when Annie let go she put an arm around the girl's shoulders and they walked up the street again, heading back to the tavern.

"Unless Gabrielle has some shopping to do, we'll be heading out in a few hours, as soon as I've had a drink."

_**To be continued**_


	9. So, you want to know how to kill?

**_Title: Someone please believe in me_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess" I'm just borrowing them for the story._**

Well, Gabrielle had always and would always be Gabrielle so she had a lot of unnecessary shopping to do before they could leave. Xena and Annie had decided to take a little walk just the two of them down to a river right outside the city and Salmoneus and Yato had retired back to their own inn.

The warrior and the girl had a lot of talking to do to make sure their relationship would work now when they and the bard would be travelling together and living together for a time.

Annie was a little nervous but also excited to be taken under Xena's wing. There was only one problem. Xena had just told her that since they would be on the road so much Annie wouldn't get much schooling so every time they got to a village or town she would have to go to school with other kids her age. Most towns had one so it wouldn't be a problem and they would stay there a few days so she had time to learn something.

Back home she had hated school. It was full of bullies and no matter how much she tried she always got into trouble. She had made it a habit to try and defend the little ones who would otherwise get beaten or threatened by the bigger ones, the bullies who mostly kept to the shadows in the school yard.

Her parents usually just assumed she was lying if she told them it wasn't her fault and that she was just trying to help. But maybe they got tired of getting those phone calls from the principal and stopped believing her. She wasn't sure. And it didn't really matter now any way. She was going to stay with Xena and Gabrielle and learn the things she had always wanted to learn. She was going to learn how to be a warrior, a great one, just like Xena. And maybe Gabrielle would teach her how to write stories like her. After all she was a Bard.

She looked at the warrior walking beside her, gazing at the water surface. Her world was truly beautiful. And it was exciting too. Certainly beats sitting in some dumb classroom studying history´ she thought. I'm living it instead´

"So, do you think you can live having to go to school once in a while?" Xena asked and interrupted her deep thoughts. "Good because you don't really have a choice any way." She said with a grin. "Then there are just a few other things we need to go over before we go back and see what junk Gabrielle has bought this time."

Annie nodded. "As long as you don't make up too many rules."

"I don't want you going off on your own ever again like you did earlier…I mean you see how it ended. You got hurt." She said and stopped by a tall tree and leaned against it, watching the water again.

Annie stopped and sat down in the grass, leaning against the same tree as her tall friend. "Don't see why you care that much, I mean, I can be fixed and you're sort of a healer, right?"

Xena took a deep breath and sat down next to the girl with a stern look on her face. "Annie, when we're on the road or in a town or any place, there is always a chance you could get hurt. And do you know why? Because you're with me, and that makes you a target." She said with sadness in her voice. "I don't mean to scare you in any way, that is the last thing I want to do but I think that if you're going to be around us you should be aware of the risks."

"I am, I know you have enemies, just like most people, only, perhaps yours are a little more dangerous to meet in a dark alley." She chuckled. She had meant it as a joke to ease the tension that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"This isn't a joke, Annie." Xena lectured. "I want you to understand that bad things could happen and that is why I didn't want to take you with me at first, because of the risks that would mean for you. But that's all in the past now because you're coming with us, that has been decided. But if you're close to us we can protect you and then the risks will be smaller. That's why I don't want you to go anywhere without asking first, okay?"

Annie sighed. "I understand."

"Good. I was really scared when I saw you lying there on the ground with him standing over you. Don't ever scare me like that again." Her scolding words were followed by a warm smile which Annie returned. She hated when people were mad at her, even though she figured she should be used to it by now.

"So, when are you going to teach me how to use a sword like you?" Annie asked with excitement in her voice. She closed her eyes and turned her face towards the warm sun and let it shine on her face. She heard Xena draw her sword and opened her eyes again to see what was going on.

The Warrior Princess was sitting cross-legged turned on the grass towards her with her sword in her lap. She had a serious look on her ace again. "You want to learn how to kill?" she asked and offered her the sword. Annie wasn't sure what to answer to that question. She had dreamed of learning how to fight from the best of the best for a long time…and now here she was with the opportunity. At least that was what _she _thought, and she had never really considered the obvious before. If she learned how to use a sword and started defending herself with one, she would have to kill people, to draw blood.

"I don't know." She answered truthfully.

Xena arched a brow. "You don't know? Well, I don't know whether that's good or bad, but I never intended to teach you any way so I guess that doesn't really matter right now." She said and put the sword back in the sheath where it belonged and waited to see Annie's reaction. She could see her question had really hit a nerve there. Annie's face was as blank as the warrior's blade and she stared at her.

"You don't?"

"No, no way in Torturous."

Annie looked a little disappointed. She had hoped she would get to the chance to learn from the best while she was here. "I sort of thought you were planning on doing that because of what that goddess told you."

"Hestia."

"Yeah, her, Hestia. She told you to be my mentor and teach me how to fight." She argued.

Xena shook her head. "No, she told me to guide you, to take care of you and let you make the decision of what you want to become in life."

"Well there you go, you said it. She told you to let me decide by myself, right?"

Xena wanted to get up and kick herself, that was not what she had meant. Now she was in trouble, talking was usually Gabrielle's strong suite, not hers and once again she had proven that to herself. "Yes, I guess you're right about that…in a way…but she didn't mean it like that. She meant that in time, with my guidance, you shall get to choose your destiny." She finished her little words of wisdom and felt pretty satisfied that she had said the right thing.

"But I want to learn how to defend myself." Annie said with a stubborn look. She couldn't possibly think that Xena intended to let her stay with her and Gabrielle but keep her from learning what she wanted from them.

Xena sighed. "You want to learn how to defend yourself? Fine, then you start with the basics. I'm going to tell you the same thing I once told Gabrielle when she said those words to me years ago when we first met."

"The rules of survival are these, If you can run, then you run, if you can't, you trick them to fight each other while you take use of the opportunity and run. If neither one is an option, then you do your best to talk your way out of the situation you're in. Weapons are a last resort, but if you want to learn to use one then I guess I can't stop you forever any way. Will you settle for a sparring lesson with a staff now and then?" Xena asked hoping for a yes because that was as far as she was willing to stretch and she didn't want to get into an argument with the girl now.

"Alright, I will."

"Good. Wow look at the sun, we've been sitting here way too long, Gabrielle is probably finished by now." She rose and offered Annie a hand. "We'd better get going or we're going to have a pretty pissed off Bard to deal with when we do get back."

**_To be continued_**


	10. Alone in the dark

Title: Someone please believe in me

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess" I'm just borrowing them for the story.

Xena and Annie entered the inn and spotted the Bard seated at a table with their things placed safely by her feet. She had obviously already been up and collected everything they needed from their room for the road.

The Bard put on her angry look (which looked kind of harmless) and rose from her seat as her friends walked over to her.

"Where have you been? I have been waiting here for ever!"

"Sorry we're late but we didn't keep you waiting that long." Annie said and dropped down on a chair by the table.

Gabrielle blushed a little. "Okay so maybe you didn't, I just felt slightly left out since you were gone so long." She sighed and put on a pout. Xena put an arm around her friend's shoulders and pulled her close.

"Hey, little Bard don't worry, we'll have plenty of time to spend together now that we'll soon be on the road. The road to the closest village from here is pretty long so I doubt we'll see many people on the way. So we'll all get to spend some quality time together." She said and yanked Annie up from her seat with her other arm and pulled her close too. Annie who didn't feel very affectionate at the moment in the middle of an inn tried to brake free.

"Can we leave already?" she yelled.

"What's your hurry?" Xena asked a little surprised at the girl's tone.

"I see that guy you threw out the window earlier coming towards us. And he doesn't look very friendly."

Xena spun around and saw the same guy had just entered the inn and was now moving in their direction. "Is this one of those times when you run rather than fight?" Annie asked.

"Uhm…yeah that's right. Let's go." Gabrielle yanked Xena's arm and nodded towards the exit.

_**The stables:**_

Xena was busy saddling Argo who was a little moody because of the girl's presence. Xena explained that she would need some time to get used to Annie's company before she would begin to trust her. And then she pointed out how long it had taken Gabrielle to gain the horse's trust.

Annie fully understood that. Horses she liked a lot. When she was ten years old she had spent two weeks at her grandparents' farm where she had learned to ride. Then a month after she had left they had both been in a car accident and died, after that her parents had sold the farm and all the animals on it. That had been the saddest day of her life. Except maybe when her dad left them.

"That was a situation we were better off walking away from." Gabrielle explained to the girl who was standing staring at the tall war horse. "Hello? Are you listening to me? Annie?"

Annie snapped out of it. "What? I'm sorry Gabrielle, did you say something?"

"Never mind. You were a million miles away, what's on your mind?"

"Oh nothing. Come on." She exited the stables with the warrior and the bard behind her. Xena paid for Argo and the hay she had eaten. That horse really did have a healthy appetite.

They walked slowly away from the town they had stayed in and out on the road again. Annie felt so good being there again. Of course the city had been okay too but out here it was different. The silence was great and she couldn't hear anything besides Argo's hooves clattering on the soil and the birds singing in the high trees.

"Hey Annie, you wanna ride?" Xena asked and halted the horse looking down at the girl walking beside the Bard.

Annie gazed up at Xena and then glanced at the horse who she thought was giving her hostile glares. "Maybe I shouldn't. Argo doesn't seem to want me to. I think she'll throw me off if I give her a chance to." She said and continued walking in the same pace.

Xena shook her head. "Not with me on she won't. Come on you can sit here behind me." She patted the seat behind her and moved a little forward to make room for Annie.

"Alright, if you say so." She turned to the Bard. "You sure you don't want to ride instead?"

Gabrielle shook her head and put up her hands in front of her.

"No, no. You go ahead, sweetie. I don't ride unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Necessary?"

"Yeah, you know. A life or death situation. Usually mine."

Annie giggled. Xena reached down her hands and Annie felt herself being lifted up on the horse behind the warrior. She chose a comfortable position and put her hands around Xena's waist so she wouldn't fall off.

"Have you ever been on a horse before?"

"Yeah when I was little…and I loved it, especially when I got to go fast."

"So, do you want to go fast now?" Xena asked. Annie nodded that it was alright with her. "Okay, just hold on tight then." She turned to Gabrielle. "We'll meet you down the road, okay?"

"Sure, but don't expect me to run to catch up with you, it's way to hot for that."

Xena smiled at her friend. "The thought never even crossed my mind."

Annie declared she was ready and Xena kicked Argo into a gallop. The girl screamed with delight as the horse started moving faster and faster and she had the wind in her hair, and Xena's hair in her face so she couldn't see much…but maybe that was just as good.

They kept going with the same speed until Xena figured Argo needed a rest so she slowed down a bit. They kept a low pace for a while and just enjoyed the peacefulness of the day. Annie did most of the talking, but she didn't mind.

Argo seemed anxious to go fast again and did her best to get Xena's attention and when she did they set off.

Annie had never felt anything like it. The horses she had ridden at the farm had been old and had not been able to go this fast.

**_An hour later:_**

Xena dismounted Argo and helped Annie down. She found the situation rather embarrassing that she had to be helped down but the dress actually made it a bit difficult to do it on her own. As soon as she felt it was okay she would ask Xena and Gabrielle for some more convenient clothes for travelling on the road. Gabrielle wore a skirt but she never rode the horse but if Xena let her Annie very much intended to do so, that was if Argo would ever start liking her.

"That was great!" Annie exclaimed. "When can we do it again!"

Xena grabbed the saddlebags and tossed them to her, then took the horse's reigns. "Perhaps tomorrow." She scanned the area surrounding them. There was a small clearing that would be perfect for the night. She had travelled on this road before and camped there. There was water near by and plenty of wood to collect for a fire that would keep them warm during the night.

"Are we stopping here?"

Xena nodded. "Yes."

"Why? Can't we go a little farther today?" she asked disappointed.

"No, I don't think that's a good idea. Darkness will be here sooner than you think and when it does the road is not a nice place to be at." She started walking off the road and into the clearing. "It's better for you that we stay here"

Annie fallowed the warrior into the clearing. It was truly a beautiful spot with green grass and an amazing view of the forest since the place was right beside a precipice. Annie hoped to god that she wasn't going to start walking in her sleep because then she might end up seriously dead with it that close.

"So if it wasn't for me...you'd travel through the night? Or at least go farther today before nightfall?"

Xena looked up. "Maybe we'd travel a while longer but I doubt it since this is the best place to stop for the night that we will see on this road until...at least tomorrow evening. We couldn't make it that far in a few hours."

"Oh, okay then." She placed the saddlebags on the ground and sat down on a flat rock. "So what are you going to do now?"

Xena crossed her arms over her chest. "I am going to start setting up camp and YOU, are going to help me. It's important that you learn how to do this if you're ever on your own out here. If you don't...you'll simply freeze to death or get eaten by an animal."

Annie quickly got to her feet. "Fine, fine I'll help. What do you need me to do?"

"First of all you can hand me my saddlebags and then start collecting some firewood." She pointed into the woods. "Don't go too far, it will be dark soon and you can get lost."

"I won't." She promised and walked off into the woods. She wasn't afraid, why should she be? As long as she stayed close to the campsite she would be fine. The only thing bothering her at the time was that she had no weapon to defend herself with. Her next step was convincing Xena that she should at least be allowed to carry a knife in case she was attacked by an animal in the woods. How else would she be able to live like this?

She picked up little dry sticks and branches lying on the ground around her but she soon realized that they were too few and very small, not enough to keep the fire burning all night long and she didn't want to force Gabrielle or Xena to go and get more in the middle of the night alone just because she couldn't do her job.

She turned and looked at the way she had come, tried her best to memorize every tree and stone she saw. She was on a narrow path now which led down to a stream and on the other side of it six bushes filled with wonderful red berries stood. What a surprise it would be if she could bring some back for desert. Too bad she didn't have anything to put them in.

She knelt down and drank of the crystal clear water and also splashed some in her face.

The trees were so many that they blocked out the sunshine where she was now, the forest seemed darker here. She crossed the stream, it was not deep. As she was standing on the other side she wondered what they were having for supper.

"Probably rabbit stew."

She was so hungry. But not for food, she wanted something else. A chocolate bar would come in handy right now´ she thought and sighed deeply. Maybe the berries would taste like candy compared to rabbit stew. She picked a handful of berries and ate them, loving the taste. It wasn't candy and they were a bit sour but they were alright. She picked some more and sat down to enjoy them. Now that she was sitting down she became aware of how tired she was. It had been an eventful and exhausting day after all and she couldn't wait to get back to camp. Gabrielle had probably come back now and maybe she could get her to teach some of her nice moves with the staff.

She leaned back against a tree trunk and closed her eyes. She just needed to rest for a moment before she headed back.

Annie awoke with a jerk. Darkness surrounded her. She couldn't see anything. But she could hear the stream she was sitting by, but no birds singing. All quiet.

"How long have I been sitting here asleep?" she asked herself out loud in the dark. She rose quickly and tried to see the path she had come there on, but she just couldn't. Then she remembered having crossed the stream earlier and started moving towards the sound of it hoping that if she made it to the other side she could find the path and get back to camp easily. She got into the water and then up into the grass on the other side.

The woods were scarier than she had thought they would be after dark. She made her way uphill. But it was not the path she had been on before that she was now walking on. It was in fact no path at all. She stumbled over logs and fallen trees, fighting to get to the top.

When she finally reached it her foot was caught in something and she fell to the ground.

"Owe, owe, owe! That really hurt!" she whined and rubbed her ankle and knees. "Where the hell am I?" she asked not expecting anyone to offer an answer. Suddenly she heard a rustling sound behind her, something moving towards her. But it wasn't human, even she could tell that. Perhaps it's just a small, fuzzy little animal, like a rabbit or a squirrel.´ she thought, desperately trying to calm herself and keep her hands from shaking.

She heard it grunting, getting closer and closer. "Help somebody!" she cried out hoping someone, anyone would hear. She managed to get to her feet and started back stepping away from the noise. She had used up all her courage. "Xena! Gabrielle! Anyone?"

Her ankle hurt badly and when she started moving forward again she fell down. "Damn it!"

She was convinced that it was a great beast that was coming for her, or maybe a wild boar. It moved closer and was now standing right in front of her, she could smell it and feel it's breath upon her face. It was so close now that she could see it, it was all she saw. Then there was a whistling sound through the air and a loud thud as it fell to the ground with a screech.

She heard footsteps. Someone was coming, running towards her.

"Annie! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

She knew that voice, it was Xena's. She had never been so happy to hear a familiar voice before in her entire life. Then the whistling sound had come from her chakram which she had used to slay the beast with. The warrior was now on the ground next to her.

"It's my ankle, it hurts." She admitted. Xena scooped her into her arms and rose from the ground, she pulled her weapon from the animal's skull and put it back in her belt where it belonged and carried the girl back to camp whiteout saying a word.

To be continued


	11. saved by an angel in the dark

_**Title: Someone please believe in me**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess", I'm just borrowing them for the story.**_

Gabrielle was seated on a log by the fire. When Annie hadn't returned the bard had gone out and collected the firewood herself. She hated being cold and it did get pretty cold out in the woods after sunset. She was getting restless just sitting there waiting for Xena and Annie to return. She had been sitting there a long time now it felt like and just waiting around was not something she usually accepted and applied to. But she had been exhausted after that long walk in the heat before the sun went down and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep when she finally arrived at the campsite.

A noise was heard and a moaning sound that came closer. She spun around and saw her friend coming out of the woods with mud all over her legs and arms, carrying Annie. Neither one of them looked happy but Annie also looked to be in pain.

"What happened!" she asked and hurried to put out the girl's bedroll which she had bought for her earlier on the ground. Xena put her down on it and covered her up except for her ankle.

"Gabrielle, get me some bandages out of the saddlebag."

The bard did what she said and got back to the bedroll by the fire and handed Xena the bandages which she wrapped around Annie's ankle. Annie said nothing, just grimaced a little once in a while since the warrior wasn't too gentle.

When it was finally over she sat up ."S-s-sorry. I didn't mean to go so far...it just happened." she tried to explain but Xena put up a hand in the air to silence her. Annie studied her fingernails.

I can't believe that no matter where I go trouble follows. I can't even live in another time without getting into trouble.´

"I trusted you to go on your own. You promised you wouldn't go too far and still you did just that." She said and felt the fear nearly overwhelm her and her anger about to boil over. She couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened to the girl if she had been too late. She could not bear the death of another child on her conscious. "It's late. Sleep now and we'll talk more about this in the morning." She rose from the ground and started walking away into the woods again. "I'm going to collect some more firewood to make sure we'll have enough for the night." She called over her shoulder to the bard.

"Xena we've got more than enough!"

The proud warrior kept on walking, pretending not to have heard her friend. But Gabrielle knew better. She knew what was on her friend's mind. The guilt of Solon's death. She didn't want something to happen to Annie because of her. And neither did she, but she understood Annie's curiosity and anxiety at wielding a sword. She had looked at things the exact same way when she first met Xena. And that was not something one could just stop doing, it was something she would have to learn on her own after having had experiences.

Gabrielle sat down next to the girl who looked so miserable that she made the god Lacrabus seem like a happy guy. "So you want to tell me what happened out there?"

Annie shook her head stubbornly.

"Alright. How's the ankle?"

"It's alright I guess." She lied.

Gabriella nodded "Uh huh. Hurts like hell then." She established. "Too bad we don't have any herbs that might help with the pain. But maybe Xena can find some in the morning when the sun is up."

Annie looked up. "Why would she do that? She probably doesn't ever want to see me again. As soon as I can walk I'll find somewhere else to stay." She took a deep breath but couldn't stop herself from sobbing. Speaking those words made her realize how awful it sounded to be on her own like that. But she had screwed up big time and now Xena and Gabrielle would send her away.

Gabrielle got up and grabbed a mug and filled it with cold water. She offered it to Annie who took it and drank some. Gabrielle started to put out her own bedroll. She put it next to Annie and then grabbed Xena's and placed it on the other side of her own.

She laid down on her bedroll and rolled over on her side facing Annie who by now had tears in her eyes. "Is that what you want? To find somewhere else to stay because you tripped in the woods? You really think Xena is going to be so mad at you for that that she'll send you away?"

"But I didn't just trip." She sniffled. "I wasn't supposed to go that far away from camp and I did. I crossed a stream and fell asleep on the other side of it." She said in a quiet voice.

"And then what?"

Annie realized that she had already told half the story so she might as well tell the rest. "When I woke up it was already dark and I couldn't see anything. It was pitch black and I couldn't see where I was going and then I tripped over something. That's when some animal approached me and when I tried to get away I fell again. Xena killed it with her chakram I think." She rolled over on her back and looked at the dark night sky with the stars in it.

When Gabrielle didn't say anything or start yelling at her Annie started wondering if the bard was asleep. She turned her head to peek at the bard and see if there was anger or any other emotions in her eyes. To her surprise the bard was grinning from ear to ear.

"What's so funny!" she asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. It's just that your story reminds me of something that happened to me a long time ago when I first started travelling with Xena..." her story was interrupted by a tall raven-haired warrior appearing out of nowhere passing by them. She walked over to Argo and made sure she was okay for the night, then returned to her bedroll for some well earned sleep.

"Good night!" she said and pulled the covers over her head.

"Good night Xena!" Gabrielle answered. She gave Annie a little push in the side to encourage her to do the same.

"Good night." She said in a very low voice that Gabrielle doubted anyone else would not have heard.

"Good night!"

Gabrielle smiled at Annie and whispered in her ear. "You see, she's not that angry." She said

"Perhaps...I don't know."

"Do you want to hear the story?" Gabrielle asked with enthusiasm. She loved telling a story and especially to someone who had never heard it before. When she told them to Xena she never seemed that eager to, listen and she had usually heard them before.

Annie didn't object so the bard started telling it. "Well, it was just at the beginning of my life with Xena. She and I had only been together for about two months and we were heading for a cabin in a valley where Xena's grandmother lived. She hadn't been to see her in years and wasn't even sure if she was still alive."

Gabrielle could see she had caught the girl's attention. She listened to every word she spoke.

"Why didn't she just ask her mother? If you two had only been on the road for two months then she could have asked Cyrene when you were in Amphipolis." Annie said.

Gabrielle frowned. "Wow, you really do know a lot about us. How did you..."

"Never mind. Just go on with your story."

"Alright. We were pretty far away when I finally got Xena to tell me about her family and her hometown where she grew up. It would take us four days to get there so we had to stop for the night a few times to get some sleep. I knew that the only reason Xena stopped every night was because I was with her. If she had been on her own she probably wouldn't have stopped, she would have kept going through the night to get there faster." Gabrielle sighed and gazed at the sleeping warrior on her bedroll.

"That made me feel like I was a nothing but a liability, but of course I didn't tell _her_ that.

"That's just how I felt earlier when Xena told me we had to stop for the night...even though I wanted to keep moving!" Annie exclaimed. "You see, I'm not the only one who did something wrong here. She should have listened to me and respected my opinion." Annie said, trying to defend her own actions.

The Bard shook her head "No, do not try and make this story I'm telling you into your defence. That's not what it is."

The girl rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. "Fine. What happened next?"

"Well, having been out there with her for two months since I left my family home in Potedia I had picked up a few things about staying alive. She had taught me how to make camp, find water and take care of Argo, even though me and that horse of hers didn't exactly get along.

We were actually right outside a village, and we could have just rented a room there if we had chosen to."

"Why didn't you?" Annie asked and sipped her water.

"I very much wanted to, but Xena refused. She wanted to test me, to see if I could make camp by myself. I remembered everything she had taught me and managed fine on my own."

"She must have been very proud."

"Yes, she was. She didn't show it of course. She just complimented me for a job well done and then we had supper and went to sleep."

"The end?" Annie asked and arched a brow in confusion.

"Not exactly. I'm about to get to the mistakes made that night."

"Oh, who made them? Xena?" She hoped it would be Xena so she could use that against her in the morning if needed. She hated being yelled at by anyone.

"Me. I made the mistake that night."

Annie lowered her eyes in disappointment. Xena was obviously flawless, she wished she could be like that.

"It had been a long day and we had walked a long way in a quick pace so Xena was tired and I should have been, but unfortunately I wasn't. I was so thrilled to have passed that test, it improved my self-confidence by a mile. So I figured I could go into the village alone to look around a little. When I was convinced Xena was asleep I ran into the village and entered a tavern."

Annie's eyes were as big as saucers as she listened to Gabrielle's story. She felt herself shiver as she imagined the warrior's angry expression at that little mistake.

"I had been in many taverns before...with Xena and no one had ever bothered us then. I always wondered why and now I found out that it wasn't like that for me when I was alone in there at that hour. Lots of different extremely drunk guys came up to me and I had to dismiss them, telling them I was waiting for my very strong, violent and jealous boyfriend. It worked a few times and after a while I decided to leave that place. But I was stopped at the door by a guy the size of a giant, at least he looked like it to me. He grabbed me and dragged me outside to the back of the house. The noise was so big in there that no one heard me call for help."

Gabrielle looked at the girl sitting beside her. Annie was indeed very young but the Bard figured she knew what the guy in the bar had wanted and intended to do to her behind the house. That was not a look of question she had on her face so she knew alright.

Annie feared what she was about to hear. She didn't want to find out that Gabrielle had been raped when she was only a little older than she herself was now. She didn't know the exact age of Gabrielle when she first met Xena but she figured she must have been around seventeen years old.

"What happened?" she asked in a shaky voice, afraid of the answer she assumed she would get.

"He pushed me to the ground and was about to jump on me when he was stopped."

"Who stopped him!" She held her breath.

Gabrielle glanced at the sleeping Xena. "She did, as usual."

Annie exhaled. "She fought him right? And then turned him over to the authorities?" she guessed. That was what Xena usually did, she only killed it was absolutely necessary, she knew that.

Gabrielle swallowed. "She fought him at first, knocked him down...he wasn't moving. Then she turned around to help me up. I was crying. And through my tears I saw him get back up and take out a small knife from the inside of his boot. I didn't even have to scream, she saw the fear in my eyes and spun around and when he tried to stab her she grabbed his arm and twisted it around his back. I saw her kick hi in the back, causing him to stumble forward and accidentally stick the knife in his gut."

"So it was self-defence and an accident." Said Annie and suddenly she understood why Gabrielle had told her this. It was similar to what she had done. Went off on her own even after she was told not to. "I see. I'm sorry." She said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I know. And everybody makes mistakes, especially when a person is your age. You need and want to explore on your own and feel you have the right to. That's how I felt and sometimes still do. But back then I had no way to defend myself if something happened and now I do so I guess now I do have the right."

The bard's words of wisdom began to really sink in. She had acted so stupidly earlier and wanted nothing more than to turn back the clock and go back and change it. But she couldn't. But maybe she could make it right again in the morning when they had a talk.

"Was Xena angry with you? She must have been."

Gabrielle nodded. "Yeah she was real mad, but also happy. Happy she had made it in time to save me. If I had died she would have been even sadder." She said and smiled. "But she didn't yell at me like I expected her to. When we got back to camp she told me a story about something that happened when she was a child. And she explained that she wasn't flawless and that everybody makes mistakes."

Annie stared at the Bard. It was like she had read her thoughts earlier about Xena being flawless. ""So did you...?"

"I see the way you look at her. The same way I did. I thought she did everything right and that she could never make a mistake. Until I started thinking about all the people she had killed before she turned good. Before I started thinking of her dark side, the one side that I wished she could get rid of. But that is what makes her Xena. Id she was only good, and if sh never made mistakes she would be someone else. And like she explained to me once: A very wise person told her that when you had seen evil you could fight evil."

**_To be continued_**


	12. Skinning a rabbit

**_Title: Someone please believe in me_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess"; I'm just borrowing them for the story._**

* * *

Xena watched Annie limp around the campsite. The girl's really long brown hair was braided and she was still wearing the old shirt Gabrielle had loaned her so she would have something more comfortable to sleep in during the night. Her hazel brown eyes met Xena's blue stare and then quickly looked away. The warrior sighed and buried her face in her hands.

Annie reminded her of herself as a youngster in more ways than one. But she had had a mother who always knew what to say and when to scold and when to just hold her close and comfort her. Xena's problem was that she had had so little practise at taking care of someone so young. Of course there was Gabrielle who had been real young when they first met. But she had also grown up fast. And besides, Annie was younger than Gabrielle had been back then.

The fact that Annie didn't seem to understand why she treated her the way she did bothered the proud warrior.

She knew Gabrielle was aware that she had heard the story she had told the girl the night before. She had almost forgotten about that night. The bard had certainly learned the hard way that night. She remembered Gabrielle's terrified expression afterwards and how she had broken into tears as she had listened to her older friend's scolding words.

Xena knew she would have to have a talk with her recently found protégé who was now standing way to close to the fire. There was a lot she had to teach her before she would even consider letting her out of her sight again.

"Hey come here a while." She called to the girl who was staring blankly into the fire. Annie walked slowly over to Xena who was seated comfortably on her bedroll lacing her boots. Xena pointed at the space next to her and Annie sat down. "How's your ankle? Any better? Worse? Anything?"

Annie shook her head. "It hurts about as much as last night. Maybe a little more when I walk on it. But it's not a throbbing pain or anything, just hurts when I touch it or walk on it."

"Okay, you'll have to ride Argo with me until your ankle is better." She stated and Annie nodded. If this had been any other day she would have been thrilled to get another chance at riding the tall horse, but today she would have been much happier walking. "Listen, I have an idea. None pf us have had any breakfast so I thought I'd go out and get us something to eat. Probably a rabbit and some mushrooms. When I get back I'll show you how to skin the rabbit and prepare it. Okay?" she suggested enthusiastically.

The thought of skinning a rabbit made Annie feel sick but she understood that Xena was just trying to find a moment when they could have a talk about last night so she tried her best to look happy about what was to come and smile.

"Uhm…alright."

Gabrielle smiled at the situation from her place over by the fire. She couldn't help but see the humour in it. She knew that Annie was about as enthusiastic about learning how to skin that rabbit as she had been the first time. Back home in her own village she had always been spared from chores like that. She had had it easy. But as soon as she left there she had understood that she could no longer refuse to do it. Not if she was going to live outside the village, like she had always wanted.

Xena helped Annie get up from the bedroll. She grimaced as she stood up but didn't whine. She refused to do that since she knew it was pointless. It was her own fault. How could she have been so stupid?

Xena went over to Argo and retrieved a small knife which she put in her boot, then she reached into another leather bag which was much bigger and pulled out a bow and two arrows. She then went quietly into the woods.

"Doesn't she need more than two arrows?" Annie asked the Bard who just shook her head and grinned. "Never mind, that was a stupid question."

Gabrielle smiled at her and yawned. She hated getting up this early, it just wasn't her thing and never would be either.

"She just wants to teach me how to skin a rabbit so she can yell at me for last night, right?" Annie whispered. If there was one thing she had learned it was that people didn't want to spend time with her if it didn't serve their purpose. She sat down again and rubbed her ankle.

"You make that sound like she's guilty of some wrong doing here. She wants to spend time with you too you know. And she will, and I think she'll find something better for you to do together then." Gabrielle assured her.

Annie's face lit up. "I was hoping that you could teach me how to use a staff like you." She finally collected enough courage to utter the words.

Gabrielle fingered her trusty staff which was as usual by her side. The first thing she had been taught by the amazons when she learned how to use it, was to never leave it out of her sight. It was the same with any weapon.

"Did you talk to Xena about that?" the Bard asked. "You should o that first."

"I did, Gabrielle. I promise. She said it would be alright. Besides, don't you have anything to say in the matter?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes, of course I do. But Xena was chosen as your mentor, not me. So I think the best thing is if we let her make the decisions about you okay?"

Annie's shoulders slumped and she nodded.

"But if she said it was alright then I guess we could do some sparring with staffs, if that is what you want?"

Annie almost jumped up from the bedroll but stopped herself just in time as her ankle reminded her of her current condition. "It is what I want!"

"Okay, okay! As soon as your ankle is better we'll start practising." She promised.

"Oh thank you!"

Xena returned about an hour later with a couple of rabbits. Now there was enough food for lunch as well. She and Annie took off into the woods again. Xena gave the excuse that she wanted to give Gabrielle some time to herself.

**_To be continued_**

* * *


	13. Chapter 13

Title: Someone please believe in me

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess" I'm just borrowing them for the story.

Five days had passed since Annie was attacked in the woods by the wild bore. Her ankle felt much better but Xena still insisted that she'd ride Argo when they were on the road.

Annie was so happy that she and the horse had learned to get along quite well the last couple of days. But she was getting really tired of riding all the time and was quite anxious to walk around again.

That day when Xena had showed Annie how to skin a rabbit and they had had their talk, a lot had been said that had made the girl feel better. And some things that had made her feel real bad. Xena had explained to her that she had waited to talk to her until she wasn't angry anymore, because if she had done it then, all she would have done was yell and not really get anything said.

Now she had managed to say a lot of important things and also explain some stuff about what she really did know about Annie being there, what the goddess had said to her that time.

Xena had also told Annie about Solon and how he died. Annie already knew this of course. But that was something she didn't want to try and explain so she let the warrior tell her the story and it explained why she had reacted the way she did both times Annie had disappeared. She was afraid she would get another child killed. Annie knew Xena blamed herself for her son's death and that Gabrielle blamed herself. But that they had learned to forgive each other.

Annie had told Xena how very sorry she was that she had frightened her like that and she had told her about the way things had been at home when she'd left. And the way it was in school. The unfair treatment the students had gotten there, except for the bullies. And all the trouble she had gotten into now and then for trying to help the little ones who were scared.

That sounded to Xena like people she'd like to have a "talk" with if she ever ran into them, which of course was impossible.

The three travelling companions had been on the road five days and five nights now. Not really sure where they were going they were just enjoying the quiet life out there away from towns and villages. But as Gabrielle had counted on they were running out of all sorts of things they needed now so they would have to make a short stop at the next nearby village to buy some merchandise.

The Bard walked down the road with her friends with a quill and a piece of scroll in her hands writing down what they needed. "Xena, is there something you need when we get to the village?"

The warrior princess looked up and glanced at her friend. "Hm, let me think. Yes, I need a sharpening stone and a new pair of boots." She turned to Annie. "Is there anything you feel you need?" she asked.

Annie looked up and then shook her head. "No, I don't need anything." She lowered her eyes and avoided looking at Xena or Gabrielle. But it didn't do any good, they could still see that she wasn't being totally honest.

"Come on, honey." Gabrielle tried. "You can tell us."

Annie surrendered immediately knowing she had already lost the battle. They would find out what was on her mind sooner or later any way. "Okay so there is one thing I figure I need." She confessed "I've been riding Argo for days now and it's really hard while wearing a dress. I'd like some other clothes that will make it easier in the future, that's all."

Xena nodded and studied the girl's dress. Sure she understood why she wanted something else to wear. "Well if that's what you want then it's what you'll get. I'm fine with it as long as we have the money for it." She looked at the Bard who agreed with her.

The sun stood high in the sky, shining down on them from it's place above their heads. They had left their bedrolls early in the morning, had a light breakfast and then hit the road. Xena had insisted that they'd get up before dawn so they could be sure to reach the village by midday and have a nice lunch in a potential tavern there.

Annie was relieved that her friends had granted her request without saying much more about it. She looked up at the sun and was puzzled. This being without a watch at all times thing was kind of starting to get to her. It wasn't always easy to tell just by looking at the sun how long they had been walking, or in her case riding.

"Xena?"

"Yes."

"How long till we get to that village…hm…what's it called again?" she asked.

"Hilavano, and it's about an hour." She reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a map and read it as they walked. "Lets see. I figure that after we stop at Hilavano we travel two more days to the Nestus river and cross it." She pointed at the map so the Bard could see what she meant.

"That'll bring us real close to Amphipolis, Xena. A perfect opportunity to pay Cyrene surprise visit, don't you think?"

Xena thought of her mother alone managing the tavern. She had wanted to visit her for a long time now but just never gotten around to it. Gabrielle was right, it was definitely time now.

"Annie, what do you think?" she asked. Xena had decided that the best thing while Annie was with them was to also include her in the decisions which was made about their destinations and such things.

"I guess it sound fine. I mean its fine with me if it's what the two of you want." She said with a smile and patted Argo on the head. "It would be fun to meet your mom."

And then it was settled. They were going to Amphipolis.

A while later the three travellers entered the village. Annie could immediately tell that it was a peaceful place. The only people she saw were villagers dressed in the most common ways and no warlords or warriors in sight, except Xena and the Bard who she guessed would be viewed as a warrior at times too when her staff was in action. The houses were made of mostly wood and weren't very big but big enough for a family with four children to live in if they were willing to sleep really close to each other at night, she thought. The people didn't look rich but they seemed to enjoy their lives. There were seven little children running around chasing each other in the centre of the village by the well. One of the youngest children in the group were the one chasing the others and seemed to be having trouble catching the others even though his tiny legs were moving as fast as they could.

She gazed over at the stables and the stable owner who was standing outside showing a stubborn horse who refused to stand still for him. The very big and strong old middle-aged man picked up a whip from the ground and quickly lashed the horse twice as he swore at it. Annie swallowed hard and her gut turned to ice. She certainly didn't want to leave Argo with that man. She had grown to like that horse a lot over the days she had been riding her.

Xena saw the concerned look on the girl's face. "Hey, don't worry. We're not leaving Argo over there with him. " she assured her. Annie relaxed again and exhaled normally. "We won't be staying here over the night, just for a meal and supplies. So we can just leave Argo tied outside the inn instead. She won't mind, will you girl?" Xena said and scratched the horse behind her left ear. She took the reins and led the horse with Annie on her back over to the inn where she tied the reins to a pillar. Gabrielle offered Annie her hand and helped her down.

"Okay, what do you say we go take care of our errands first and then eat, huh?" Gabrielle suggested. "Lets take care of the buying of your clothes first Annie." She said with a smile.

Xena sighed a bit. She had thought that if Gabrielle had to choose between eating and shopping she'd choose eating. At least she had hoped so because she herself was starving.

They walked around the small market place and an hour later they had everything they needed and Annie had picked out an outfit she thought looked comfortable. A pair of brown pants with a black leather belt and a green tunic which matched her green eyes. She also picked out a green ribbon she could put in her long hair.

As Xena stood paying for the clothes she felt someone yank her by the straps so she turned around and saw a young boy standing there looking up at her with innocently.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. Are you that other man's wife?" he asked with curiosity shining in his eyes.

Xena frowned at the peculiar question the boy had. She bent down to his height. "Hello there. Just what man would that be you're talking about?"

"So then you're not his wife" he stated "I figured you'd be because you were both dressed as warriors and you both came into the village today." He said and turned around to leave. Xena quickly put a hand on the boy's shoulder and he turned again.

"Who are you talking about?"

"That warrior who came into my mother and father's tavern earlier today. He had a real sword and dark hair just like you."

"Okay. This man you speak of." The boy nodded "Is he still at your parents' tavern?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am I believe so."

"Thank you." She said and the boy ran off to join his friends by the well. Xena got Gabrielle's attention and pointed towards the door. "I'll meet you at the inn in a few minutes, alright?" she said.

The Bard frowned and gave the warrior a stern look. "Xena, we decided we'd stick together and do ALL the shopping TOGETHER." She sighed "But you probably have a reason so just go." She finished the sentence but Xena was already half way out the door. Annie approached Gabrielle.

"What's up with her?" she asked.

Xena entered the dark and some what dirty tavern and looked around. There weren't that many people in there at the moment, only a few men who seemed to be farmers resting after half a days hard work on the fields. But there was one man sitting in the corner who looked different. He wore black leather and had dark hair, same as her own. She knew him, she knew him very well. Xena approached him and the look in his eyes as he saw her do so and recognized her was priceless. He stood up from where he was sitting and took a few steps forward. They were now standing facing each other and could see every detail on the other person's face.

The man opened his moth and spoke two words Xena would never forget. "Hello, little sister."

To be continued


	14. Chapter 14

_**Title: Someone please believe in me**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess".**_

**_Notes: I have changed the story a bit because I realized I didn't really like the way it was turning out. This chapter has been posted before but I have changed the ending just a little. The other changes will come soon in following chapters. _**

**Xena grinned at her older brother sitting across the table. She hadn't seen him for at least two and a half years now but he hadn't changed a bit.**

"**Not that I'm not happy to see you but what are you doing here, Toris?" Xena asked and took a sip of her newly ordered drink. "Are you on your way home?"**

**Toris shook his head "No, I just came from there actually. I've been visiting mother for a few days, helping her out with the inn. Fixing things that needed fixing, you know, things like that." He said and turned around and gazed around the room. "So, where is that little girl who travelled with you last time I saw you?" he asked and smiled at her. **

"**Gabrielle was her name, ain't that right?"**

**Xena leaned back in her seat "Yeah, Gabrielle, that's right. She's at the market with a friend of ours'." She explained. She didn't want to explain all the details about Annie and why she was travelling with them to Toris now. First she wanted to know more about him and what he was doing in the village. She hadn't seen him for a long time but she could still tell when he wasn't telling her the whole truth. He was hiding something, she didn't know what, but she was determined to find out.**

"**Oh, okay. So the two of you are still travelling together. Yeah, that's what mother told me too. Good for you, sis. I know she means a lot to you."**

**Xena nodded "Yes, she does." She was still clueless to her brother's intentions. There was something different about him. The "old" Toris never would have said something like that. Never would have admitted that he knew how she felt. Maybe when they were kids, but he quickly changed as they grew up and even though she hadn't spent time with him alone for such a long time she didn't think he could just go back to being as he was as a young boy.**

"**You know, Xena. Last time I saw you, when we took down Cortese and you helped me realize that murder wasn't the answer for anything. You never told me why you started travelling with that girl...Gabrielle, or why she means so much to you." He had an almost hurt expression written on his face. Something Xena hadn't seen in him since they were very young. Mostly he had shown anger, just like her. Lyceus had always been better than both of them at showing his emotions without making himself look stupid. She had always admired that about her younger brother and she was sure Toris had always wondered how he did it too.**

"**I know. I never really got the chance to." She answered. Xena wanted to tell her brother the story, but she felt it wasn't the right time to get into such a long and emotional part of her life at that time. Gabrielle and Annie would come marching in at any time and besides, she still wanted to know what Toris had been up to since she last saw him, and exactly what he was doing here now. "Listen, Toris. I want to tell you...and I will. But first...I think there is something you should tell me. I know you're not telling me everything. Or perhaps you're not even telling me anything." She said and watched him try his best at putting on an innocent face. **

**The Warrior Princess sighed deeply. He really should know better than to try and fool her like this. She knew him well enough to see through it and he was aware of it.**

**Toris avoided looking her in the eye and instead looked away towards the door. It opened and the bard entered closely followed by Annie trying to explain what a camera was and how it worked. It so made the girl wish she had paid more attention in physics class. She stopped trying to explain when she spotted Xena sitting next to a man she didn't recognize but looked a lot like Xena.**

"**By the Gods!" Gabrielle exclaimed and hurried over to their table. "Hello, Toris!" she greeted him and shook his hand. He smiled back at her and got up and offered her his chair while he grabbed another one from another table. **

"**It's nice to see you again, Gabrielle. I can see you've grown up a lot since the last time I saw you."**

"**Well, a lot has happened in my life since then."**

**Xena looked at Annie who obviously wasn't interested in meeting her brother. Instead she had retreated to the bar, ordered some orange juice and sat down there. Xena excused herself and went over there and sat down next to Annie on a stool. "Something wrong?" she asked.**

**Annie shrugged "Not really. I'm just a little tired."**

**Xena arched a brow and looked at her sceptically. " Oh yeah right, I should have thought of that. You must be exhausted after that long hard ride you had on Argo's back all morning. " she said with sarcasm in her voice. "Come on Annie, you haven't even had to walk the distance here and you fell asleep early last night. You're not tired."**

**Annie sighed. She was beginning to understand it was going to be hard living with Xena at times because of how good she was at reading people. "Who is he?"**

"**My older brother. Toris is his name. I'd like you to come and say hello to him. Is that okay with you?" she asked in a voice not totally without sarcasm.**

**Annie nodded. "Alright. Lets go." She took her orange juice and followed Xena back to the table. **

**Xena introduced her as their friend who recently had started living with them. Annie shook hands with Toris and sat down. **

"**So, Annie. How old are you?" Toris asked surprising Xena tremendously. It was a little out of character for him to ask children questions like that. She couldn't remember him starting a conversation with a kid ever since he was one himself.**

"**Fifteen." She answered shortly**

"**Oh, I see. Where are you from then?"**

**Xena hadn't yet told her brother how Annie had gotten there or why she was there with them. She tried to stop Annie from saying anything that would sound strange by waving her hand at her. But without success. "I'm from Wisconsin." She answered truthfully ignoring Xena's signal.**

**Toris looked confused. "I don't think I've ever heard of that town. It must be very far from here."**

**Xena quickly cut in. "Yes, it is. "She realized it was getting too complicated and she still had some things she wanted to ask Toris about. "Why don't you and I take a walk so we can talk, while Annie and Gabrielle get two rooms for the night."**

"**But you said we wouldn't be staying here!" Annie protested loudly "You said we would move on as soon as we had eaten! And what about Argo! This means we have to leave her with that man because where else will we put her! It's not like she's a God damn pony!"**

**Xena felt the anger boil up inside her but did her best to control it "Annie, we don't have to leave Argo with him, she'll be fine outside the inn for one night. And don't use words like that." She glared at Annie for a minute and then turned to Toris again. "Come on."**

**The two siblings left the inn and started walking through the village. "So, are you going to tell me?" **

"**Tell you what?" Xena asked even though she knew very well what he was referring to.**

"**Tell me about that little girl you have there. Who is she?"**

"**She's from...I guess you could say the future...in a way. A place called Wisconsin. Somehow she fell in a lake back in her own reality and when she reached the surface again she was here in Greece with us. I pulled her out of the lake. You know the goddess **

**Hestia?"**

"**The virgin goddess of, well, I've never seen her."**

"**She came to me and told me the reason Annie is here is because she is destined to be a part of history. She's here for an indefinite time and I'm supposed to teach her how to find herself. You know, be her mentor." She explained. "At least that's what she told me. So Annie is staying with us until she's ready to go home, and until her family is ready to have her back." She finished.**

**Toris expression was one of complete surprise and disbelief. Suddenly to Xena's big surpirse he began to laugh out loud. Loud enough for some of the villagers to turn around and stare at him. "I've heard some pretty unimaginable stories from you before but this one take the price" he laughed. "A girl from the future fell in a lake and came here! That's funny!"**

**Xena wanted to punch him in the stomach or something. "Give it a rest! I'm not kidding, what I just told you is true." she said with a serious face.**

**Toris stopped laughing and his mouth dropped open. He just stared at his sister for a minute after he realized she was telling the truth. "By the Gods, Xena! I don't know what to say. So you've gone and gotten yourself a kid to look after."**

**She nodded "In a way. Now it's your turn."**

"**What do you mean?" he asked innocently.**

"**Come on, Toris. You know what I mean." **

**Toris nodded that he knew what his sister meant. "Alright. I'm here to ask a favour of you actually. Let's go back to the tavern and I'll show you the reason I'm here."**

**Xena was confused. Back to the tavern? What could possibly be there that would explain her brother's sudden appearance? But she said nothing and just started walking back with her brother. **

To be continued


	15. Chapter 15

_**Title: Someone please believe in me**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess".**_

**Toris opened the door to his recently rented room at the inn on the third floor, and stepped aside so that Xena could take a look inside. What she saw was a boy asleep on a cot. He had quite long brown hair, at least for a boy and he kept it in a ponytail on his back away from his face. The woman was dressed in a cream white dress and the boy in black pants and a green tunic.**

**Xena closed the door and turned to her brother. "Who is he?" she asked.**

"**The boy's name is Metaxas." **

"**Let's go downstairs again to Annie and Gabrielle and you can tell me more. No use waking up your friend."**

**Xena, Annie, Gabrielle and Toris were seated at a table again, each with something to drink in front of them.**

**Toris began telling his sister and her two companions what he had been up to since the last time he saw Xena and Gabrielle.**

"_**After we went separate ways last time. After we defeated Corteese. I headed to Rome."**_

"**Why Rome?" The Bard asked thinking of her own experiences there.**

"_**No particular reason. I had never been there so I wanted to see it. I wanted to do some travelling outside of Greece." He explained.**_

**Xena nodded in understanding. "Go on." She encouraged her brother.**

"_**Well, I arrived in the great city of Rome. There I got a temporary job in a tavern. I cooked the meals people ordered." He told them looking quite proud of his accomplishment.**_

**Xena smiled. She remembered her older brother had been a very good cook as they grew up. Cyrene had often asked him to help out in the kitchen at the inn.**

**And sometimes when she was very busy working he had cooked for his younger siblings as well.**

"_**I worked there for about a month. Then I quit." He explained with some sadness in his eyes.**_

"**How come?" Gabrielle asked. She was always one for asking questions.**

**Toris shifted position and Xena thought he seemed bothered in a way you didn't see often in him. He was obviously about to get to the more complicated part of the story.**

"_**I was out walking one evening in the city when I came upon three tall men, dressed all in black and masks hiding their faces. They were beating up a shop owner. He was an old man. Two of the men were inside wrecking the shop, seeming to be searching for something, or someone. And the third one was on the street hitting the old man and yelling something at him. I called out to the ones inside and they exited the shop and came running at me. The third man let goof the old man and joined the others in the battle with me. I suddenly heard the old man scream out NO to someone. I turned quickly and saw a woman come running out of the shop with a sword in her hand ready to join my side in the battle. She was wearing a dress with the colour of the clouds in the sky and her hair was as red as flames of fire. It came to my knowledge later that she was the old man's granddaughter." Toris paused and gazed at his sister, waiting for her response. **_

"**_Yes, Emarentia and Metaxas are the grandchildren of the old man. His name was Xerxes. Though they did not live there with him. They lived with their father in the other part of town. The part where the people live who don't have that much money to pay the rent." He told them._**

"_**Anyway we drove the strange men away. But I have to admit that they were not easily defeated. The old man ran to his granddaughter and to my surprise and dislike slapped her across the face once. But then he hugged her for a long time right afterwards. I saw in his eyes how he regretted the slap right after he had delivered it. When he released her he yelled: "I told you never to do that, girl! Never engage in a battle you have no stake in!"**_

_**She looked confused and defiant and had a few tears rolling down her cheeks and shouted back: "But grandfather! They were hurting you! AND they were destroying your shop! I had to…"**_

"_**You did not have to do anything." He interrupted. "My prior concern is to keep you safe. So don't ever do that again. Or my training you will be over." He threatened.**_

_**Emarentia lowered her head a little in defeat and nodded. For a moment I thought they had forgotten about me but then the old man turned to me where I stood by the front door to his shop.**_

"_**Thank you, friend. You were a big help. Who are you?" he asked as he with help from his grandfather walked over to me.**_

"_**My name is Toris." I introduced myself. "Your granddaughter here was a big help to me as well. Thank you." I directed my own thanks to the woman.**_

_**The old man shook his head and sighed. "she is on her way to become a formidable fighter indeed. How ever, she should not have engaged in a battle like she did. I have only trained her for the purpose of self-defence. NOTHING else." he stated.**_

"_**You train your granddaughter in warrior-arts?" I asked surprised.**_

_**He nodded and for the first time smiled. "Yes, I do and with pleasure." He gazed around the street suspiciously and then waved for me to enter his shop with them as they moved towards the door. "I'd like to hear some more about you, young man. Come on inside." **_

_**I accepted the invitation and followed them inside. I watched them barricade the door so that no one uninvited could enter.**_

"_**Here, go ahead and sit down right here by the fire." Said Emarentia and pulled up a chair for me. She brought two more chairs out for herself and her grandfather. I gazed around the room we were in. It was quite big. The walls were made of stone as was the house itself of course. Half the room was the shop where there was merchandise such as food and some clothes, quills, scrolls, bedrolls and paintings and so on. There was just about anything you could possibly need in there for sale. Except animals.**_

_**There was a very long wooden table sealing off the private areas of the shop. That's where we were sitting comfortably by the warm fireplace. There was a bed by the window in the corner and a small table with a vase with yellow roses in on it. In another corner stood a bookcase full of scrolls. Obviously he read a lot.**_

"_**So, Toris. Tell us some more about yourself. Where are you from? Do you have any family?" Emarentia asked.**_

_**I nodded. "I am from Amphipolis. It's a small village in Greece. I don't have the kind of family with a wife and children but I have a mother who still lives in Amphipolis. And I have a younger brother on the other side, his name is Lyceus. And I have a younger sister who travels and lives mostly on the road like myself. Her name is Xena."**_

"_**Xena! The warrior princess Xena!" he exclaimed but with total control.**_

"_**Yes." I answered.**_

"_**I met her once in Caesar's palace."**_

"_**You met Xena in Caesar's palace? Why there?" I asked confused.**_

"_**I used to train Caesar's bodyguards until a couple of years ago when I as they call it retired from my duties. That was when I opened up this shop."**_

_**That surprised me a bit. I had thought he was just an old shop owner but obviously he must have some excellent fighting skills as well. "I see. But who were those men who attacked you?"**_

"_**The masks they wore show that they work for the Zolican slavetraders." He explained while he took out bowls, spoons and some leftover soup. "In this city there are two brothers who collect and sell slaves. Their names are Luis and Lionel Zolican." He told me as he served the soup. **_

_**I listened patiently to the story and found it interesting. But I still didn't understand why they had been attacked. **_

"**_The men who attacked us work for the brothers. They go to the part of the city where the people who are not so well off live and offers money to parents among others. Some agree to sell their children into slavery and when they do the Zolicans take them away." He finished with an angry look on his tired, old face._**

_**I felt the anger myself. Just to think that someone could actually do that to his or her own child. "It's very upsetting indeed. But what does that have to do with you?" I asked. "And what are your names by the way?"**_

_**The old man shook his head at his own thoughtlessness. "Forgive me. I became a bit distracted while telling you about the slave traders and forgot to introduce me and my granddaughter. "**_

"_**It's perfectly alright." I assured him.**_

"_**My name is Xerxes and this here is Emarentia." He glanced at the woman sitting across the table.**_

_**There was something I had to ask since I had noticed there was only one bed in the room. "Do you live here with your grandfather, Emarentia?" I asked. She certainly hadn't said a lot so far and I wanted to get her talking for some reason.**_

"_**No. Me and my little brother live with our father." She looked at Xerxes as if asking his permission to go on with the story. He gestured that it was fine by him and she continued. "Our father is a poor man. But he has always had work even though it hasn't paid much. We've always lived with him in a rented room on the second floor in a house owned by a man who runs a bar downstairs. He has a couple of women who works for him and offers their bodies to men who pays them money."**_

"_**I sighed. "So this is the bad part of town you're describing now. At least that would be my guess. So, how old is your brother?"**_

"_**The boy is only fifteen summers." Xerxes answered. "The perfect age to be sold as a slave according to the Zolicans."**_

_**Emarentia took over the telling again. "About a week ago**_

_**The Zolicans came to my father when he was working sweeping up in the streets. They told him they knew he had a son and a daughter and offered him a great deal on both of us." She had tears in her eyes by now but continued anyway. "Our father is not a kind man and he has never cared for us. He happily agreed to their offer. Luckily I was told of his decision by a friend who overheard them on the street. Me and Metaxas have been hiding here at grandfather's place for a week now since it happened. But they are searching for us because we are worth a lot of money to them. That's why they were here earlier."**_

_**Now I understood. It was sad. If the men found this woman and her brother they would be submitted to a fate that might be worse than death. "What do the Zoilcan brothers do with the people who will become slaves after they have been taken from their families?"**_

_**Emarentia wiped away a tear and answered "They sell them to the north African slave traders for many dinars and become very rich by doing so."**_

"_**I'm very sorry." I gazed around the place once again. "I don't see any signs of more than one person living here. Looks like you've been able to hide your stay here well." It was the best thing I could think of to say since I couldn't think of anything more comforting. **_

_**Xerexes got up and limped over to the bed and pushed it out of the way, revealing a small hatch in the floor. "This is where they sleep. Metaxas is down there now."**_

_**It was like a small basement down there. I took a look down there and saw the boy fast asleep on a bedroll. **_

"_**As we speak many more are being taken off the streets and some from their homes and being sold as slaves to the North African slave traders." Emarentia said with repulsion in her voice. **_

**Toris had done what his sister had asked and told her and her friends what he had been doing since they last met. But at last he had asked Gabrielle and Annie to leave him and Xena alone for a few minutes since he wanted to tell her the last part in privacy. Of course they did as he asked and left. Left alone with his sister he explained what happened after Xerxes and Emarentia had told him their secret in exchange for him saving their lives. He had made a promise to protect Xerxes grandchildren from the Zoilcan brothers and their men. So he quit the job he had and moved into a room on the same street as them. However the Zolicans had found Emarentia and taken her somewhere in Rome to be sold as a slave. Xerxes had died trying to defend his granddaughter but there had been too many of them. Toris hadn't been there when it happened and when he returned he found Metaxas in the basement and had taken him with him to Greece to find Xena and to ask one last favour of her. To help him get Emarentia back. **

**Annie was putting their things on Argo's back. She had changed from her dress to her new clothes and was all set to go. She didn't mind going to Rome at all. It meant she was going to be a part of one of Xena and Gabrielle's quests. Xena had made it clear that she would do her very best to keep her out of it. But at least she would be there with them. Xena had told Toris she'd do it. Go with him to Rome and do what she could to free Emarentia and help him keep his promise. Annie didn't know what to think of Toris. He was a strange man but then again he was Xena's brother so she would do her best to like him. **

**They had decided to leave immediately. Toris and the boy Metaxas had two horses and then there was Argo. But it wasn't enough to get them to Rome as fast as they wanted so they had to buy another horse for Gabrielle to ride before they could go. Toris paid for the things they needed on the trip including the horse. Xena had decided to let Annie ride Argo with her. She felt it would be safer for the girl at times, considering they would be travelling in high speed. **

**Annie was alone with all four horses so she had time to talk to them all and give each one some personal attention. Xena and Gabrielle were upstairs packing their things more tightly so they could fit in more food since they would not have time to stop and hunt so often. Xena took the opportunity to talk to Gabrielle about what they were about to do.**

"**Are you sure you're okay with this? Going to Rome?" she asked while folding a blanket.**

**The bard sighed a little. "Xeeena, I've already told you I'm fine with it." She answered and fastened the frying pan on the outside of a bag with a string. Then making sure it was tight enough by pulling it.**

"**Okay. I just want you to know you can object if you don't like where we're going or what we're doing."**

"**I know that. But Toris is your brother and this is important to him and it is also important to you to help him." She paused and frowned. "Did he tell you exactly what this woman means to him? I mean she must be special if he came all this way to find you. I mean he could have tried to find her himself and save her." Gabrielle babbled on.**

"**He loves her." Xena simply said. **

"**Oh." Gabrielle raised her eyebrows in surprise. She hadn't expected love exactly. But Xena usually knew what she was talking about. She was very good at reading people. Something Gabrielle herself found she hadn't quite mastered yet in her life.**

"**I saw it in his eyes when he was telling us about her. And later when you two weren't there and he told me about her being taken away. He's taking it hard that he wasn't there to help her." She explained while keeping her eyes fixed on the blanket. **

"**Where was he when she was taken? You never told me that."**

"**Out asking around about where the Zolican brothers might be keeping the people they take." She tossed the blanket on the cot and reached for another much thinner one which she liked to sleep under at night. It wasn't to warm or to cold. "No one in the city seems to know where they are keeping the people and kids they take."**

"**Okay why? To save the others?" the Bard asked.**

"**At first he told me he didn't really care as long as Emarenia and her brother were still safe. But she convinced him that they had to find out so they could get help from somewhere and finally end it." She finished with the blankets and packed them down into a second bag. "Gabrielle. I wish I could just turn my back on this but I can't." **

**The bard stared at her friend. Obviously Xena was feeling guilty about bringing her and Annie with her on a mission like this. "He's your brother and you shouldn't turn your back on him. We can still keep Annie safe you know." She spoke calmly.**

**Xena nodded. "Yes, we'll have to. But she does have a tendency of getting into trouble. And if I hear one word from her about going with us into something dangerous when she's told to stay put, I won't be so nice anymore."**

**Gabrielle nodded. She agreed with the warrior but still she didn't want Annie to have to see Xena angry. It would scare the girl just as much as it had her in the beginning. And then the anger hadn't even been directed at her.**

"**We should get going." Xena said and picked up both bags and slung them over her shoulder.**

"**Xena, have you met the boy?" Gabrielle asked but didn't wait for an answer. "He seems nice. Doesn't talk much though. Why do you think that is?"**

"**I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later. Now come on." She hurried out the room and down the stairs.**

"**Okay, okay." The bard muttered but picked up the pace.**

To be continued


	16. Repeating a pattern

**Annie stood leaning against Argo waiting for the others to come. "_What's taking them so long?"_ She thought. "_It's_ _not like they've never packed before."_**

**The door to the inn opened and the boy exited the house. He was just a little taller than herself and had fine brown hair and hazel eyes. She could tell from where she was standing. He didn't smile at her or greet her in any way. He just walked right by her to his black horse and started putting what he had packed on the horse. Annie stepped between the horses and stood at his side. She reached out her hand to introduce herself and finally he looked up. Then he stared at her hand and finally after a moment of silence he accepted it.**

"**My name is Antonia. But you can call me Annie. Everybody does." she said and smiled at him. "At least everyone at home and the few people I know here. Who happen to be Xena and Gabrielle."**

**Metaxas let go of her hand and got back to making sure everything was secured on the horse so it wouldn't fall off. Annie wondered why he didn't say anything. But she figured that was alright. If he didn't want to talk to her now that was fine. She could tell he wasn't a bad person. **

**The door opened once again and Xena, Toris and Gabrielle exited. After making sure they had everything packed with them one last time Xena mounted Argo and Annie took her place behind her. Gabrielle mounted her own horse. A beautiful light grey stallion. They had made sure the owner sold them a calm horse who was easy to ride for someone not so experienced in horseback riding. So the bard wasn't that nervous. **

**Metaxas had already mounted his horse and was all set to go so Toris did the same and then they were all ready.**

"**What took you all so long?" Annie whispered to Xena.**

"**We had to pack and pay for the rooms." She answered and hoped Annie would settle down a bit. She knew the girl was excited about what they were doing but she wanted her to see the seriousness of the situation. But it wasn't the time to talk to her about it now. "Alright lets get going! We won't stop until night fall." Xena told the group and they headed out on the dusty road again.**

**They had been on the road the entire day. At last Xena had decided to give the horses and themselves a rest and stop for the night. Gabrielle prepared some food for everyone and Annie put out the bedrolls. She could hardly keep her eyes open while she did so. For the first time she knew exhaustion. She had never been so tired before in her entire life. Sure she loved riding. But they had been going fast most of the day and she soon got tired of pulling her hair from her face. And her butt was real sore from sitting in that hard saddle. **

**Annie noticed everyone was busy with a chore of some sort except Metaxas. He was just leaning against a tree eyeing everyone from a safe distance. She also noticed the person he eyed the most was Xena. He glanced at the sword on her back and if she turned around he'd immediately look away.**

**When the food was ready they sat down by the fire to have some dinner. Annie had only had two apples all day and she was starving by now. Xena was the last one to sit down.**

"**Xena, maybe we should discuss the arrangements for when we get there." Toris suggested. Neither one of them knew very much of how things would be when they got there. But they had agreed it was important everyone at least knew what they knew.**

"**Good idea." She said and took a bite from her bread with cheese on. She looked around at the faces of the people surrounding her. There were in her eyes two children, her best friend and her brother. She knew Metaxas had been looking at her weapons every chance he had gotten since they left. She could tell he wanted to know what her chakram was for. When they had been alone Toris had told her Metaxas had killed once in his life. He killed the man who murdered his grandfather when Emarenia was taken. She hadn't told Gabrielle that yet and Annie didn't know either. But the fact that the boy had killed certainly didn't make him a warrior to her. Toris didn't see him as one either. He had hurried to get him out of there after he'd found him. Since then the boy hadn't said a word.**

"**As you all know we're going to Rome to try to rescue Emarentia." She locked eyes with Metaxas "Your sister. Travelling there doesn't just take a day. It will take a little time and patience from us all. When we get there the first thing we'll do is go to a place I've only heard of. But I know it's there in the city."**

**The others had been listening while filling their stomachs with food. Annie was done chewing and spoke up. "What kind of place is it you're talking about?" she asked curiously. **

"**It's a school. A woman runs it for children your age. You will live there while we're trying to find out about the place they're holding Emarentia." she explained and hoped she wouldn't hear any protests but her wish was not granted.**

"**What! You're going to just leave us there?" She yelled referring to herself and Metaxas. "Why? Why can't we stay with you? We can stay away from the danger anyway." She protested loudly.**

**Xena sighed. "Remember when you and I talked about what you'd have to do when we visit a town or village? Go to school. And you agreed. This is a perfect opportunity for you to do just that."**

**Annie was silent. She knew Xena was right. She had made that promise. Maybe there was some way to escape having to be at the school, but if there was she would find it when they were in Rome. Not now.**

**Gabrielle looked at Annie. She could see the girl had accepted her defeat. That was a good thing because neither Gabrielle nor Xena wanted Annie to be caught in a battle. So the school would be the safest place for her. **

"**Alright. If you say so." the girl said with sarcasm in her voice. She glanced at the boy who didn't seem to care that they were going to be stuck in some old school instead of being out helping to find his sister.**

**Xena nodded. "Good. Toris, I and Gabrielle will get a room somewhere not to far away from the school. "**

**Toris put down his fork and knife for a second to speak. "Have you thought of a way to proceed to start looking for her once we get there?" he asked.**

"**I've given it some thought. But I haven't really come up with anything yet that I feel confident about." She answered truthfully. "We'll figure that out during the journey or when we get there. But the key is to find out where they keep the kids they take. It has to be inside or somewhere near the city of Rome." **

"**Why?" asked Gabrielle. **

"**Because it's too risky to transport them too far. Someone might discover them and try to rescue them. I don't think they're willing to risk that happening." she sat down to eat her supper. She had told them what she and Toris had decided so far and now she wanted to eat. **

**After supper they felt it was time for some sleep. So they laid down on their bedrolls and closed their eyes, hoping sleep would come. And it did for all of them without trouble.**

**They only allowed themselves to get four hours of sleep and after that they were up again and on horseback. Annie leaned back and rested her head on Xena's chest and slept while they were travelling the bumpy road. She didn't care. They weren't going very fast now because the sun wasn't up yet so the horses could easily injure their legs in the dark.**

**Three days passed by and Annie thought it seemed they were repeating a very familiar pattern. Eat, travel, sleep, travel, travel and so on. It also became very clear to both her and Gabrielle that Metaxas didn't talk at all. When they had a moment alone they asked Xena and she told them what had happened. **

**Xena kept a watchful eye on the boy at often as possible. She could see he carried a lot of anger. Which was common after having killed the first time. She hoped though it would be his first and last time. Toris had told her that the old man Xerxes had trained Emarentia to fight but not Xerxes because he was just too young. But she could often see him eying her weapons for some reason. **

**On the fourth morning Xena told the others they would sleep longer this morning and take the time to have a properly made breakfast without haste. She knew by watching Annie and Metaxas that they needed to sleep or they would not be able to ride a horse without falling off soon. **

**Annie woke up and felt the need for a quick swim. She approached Gabrielle who was as always busy cooking by the fire.**

"**Can I go take a swim in the lake, Gab?" she asked half expecting a no.**

**The bard looked up from her work. "Did you and Metaxas feed the horses like Toris told you?" she asked. **

**Annie sighed. "I know I did. I'm not so sure about him though." She answered. **

**Gabrielle nodded in understanding. That boy hadn't been helping out much at all. He had been told to do things like cooking and collecting wood. But not done a lot. Xena and herself and Toris had discussed it and talked about it being time to do something about it. He would never get over what happened back in Rome by feeling sorry for himself or feeling hatred toward the people who had done it. It would be better for him to keep busy.**

"**You can go. But be back soon. Breakfast is ready soon and I'm hungry." She said with a smile.**

"**Big surprise." Annie joked. She jumped out of the way as Gabrielle tried to punch her on the arm for the joke at her expense. **

**The girl ran down to the lake anxious to feel the cooling water against her skin. It felt like she hadn't cleaned herself up for a year. She got undressed and jumped in. She was careful not to swim to far out. _"I don't think Xena is going to be too happy if she has to come in and save me from drowning again."_**

**After a while she got out of the water and got dressed again. She sat down in the grass and gazed up at the sun in the clear sky and then closed her eyes. She took a moment to just sit there and enjoy the peacefulness surrounding her. Everything was quiet. But she realized she had to get back right away. She had already been gone longer than she had intended to. **

To be continued


	17. Getting Closer

**Annie walked into camp and was met by an unfamiliar sight. Xena and Metaxas stood glaring at each other. And Toris and Gabrielle were standing in the other end of camp. Breakfast was ready but no one was eating. Their things were already packed so they were all set to go. Usually they would be hurrying to have breakfast so they could be on the road. Especially now that they had slept for so long.**

"**Hey guys, what's going on?" she asked as she approached them. Xena was holding something in her hand. It was her chakram. A shrill ran down the girl's back when she saw the look on the warrior's face. She looked so angry.**

**Gabrielle walked over to her and put and arm around the girl's shoulders and led her out of the line of fire. "Come on. Let's go."**

**Toris looked at his sister and Annie heard him say the words. "You deal with this. Catch up with us later" and then he grabbed some of their packed things and left to go with her and Gabrielle. Toris and Gabrielle took their horses' reigns and walked out of camp with them. Annie followed. When they got up on the road Annie and Gabrielle mounted one horse and Toris the other and they started moving slowly forward. **

"**What happened back there between those two?" Annie asked slightly worried. **

**Toris sighed. "Metaxas picked up Xena's chakram and threw it."**

**Annie's jaw dropped. "Oh." was all she could think to say. "What's gonna happen now?" she asked.**

**Gabrielle shrugged. "We're not sure, honey. We thought it would be better to let Xena and Metaxas talk it out. We have been noticing that Metaxas hasn't been interested in doing any chores or helping out at all on this journey. It's time to change that." She said and tried to sound determined and certain of her own words. **

"**How are they going to talk to each other if he can't talk at all? I mean you said he hasn't said a word since Emarentia was taken and his grandfather was murdered." Annie argued.**

**Toris nodded at her remark. "I know. But I do suspect that Xena will do most of the talking. I doubt she'll be able to change anything though."**

**The bard smiled. She had some doubts as well. He seemed to be a tough nut to crack.**

**Annie turned to Toris. "What was Xena like when you were little?" she asked curiously. She had always wanted to know that.**

**Toris grinned. He was pretty sure Xena would have advised him to be quiet right about now if she had been there. But she wasn't. "Well, when she was really young, like eight years old she was very determined to have her will. It didn't matter if mother said no to something. She just went ahead and did it anyway. This attitude often got her into trouble" He smiled as he remembered his sister's innocent face as she had always tried to make excuses for things she had done back then. "Our father had already left then. But our grandfather was still alive. He helped mother out by sometimes taking care of us kids when she was working at the inn. Usually he was the only one Xena listened too. "he paused and looked at the girl. Her surprised look made him smile. "You asked." He reminded her.**

**Annie was relieved to hear that Xena hadn't been perfect as a child either. "Okay. I'm kind of relieved to hear that actually. What else?" she asked.**

"**Uhm Toris…" Gabrielle tried not sure it was such a good idea to tell Annie all this.**

**Toris put up a hand in the air to silence her. "No no Gabrielle. Let me finish this." he insisted so the Bard went quiet again. "She wasn't a bad person though of course. She was in as much need of feeling loved as the rest of us. She also wanted to have friends and attention. She just didn't want to admit it." he went on. "I remember one time when she borrowed grandpa's horse to take a ride down to "Strymon river" by herself. She did it on a dare because a couple of boys I used to play with and myself had told her that the only way she'd be allowed to play with us was if she could proof herself worthy." He sighed still feeling a little remorse.**

**Gabrielle frowned. There had been small gangs in her village too. Some kids had left feeling outside because they had not been allowed in with the popular crowd. Gabrielle had always hated that. "It doesn't sound very nice of you to encourage your little sister to do something like that." She pointed out to him as if he needed to hear that now after so long to understand it. **

"**I know that now. And believe me grandpa did a good job explaining it to me as well. He discovered the horse missing and went after Xena to the river where we were all waiting for her. On the way there the horse injured it's leg. It had to be put down eventually. He sent all the boys home and escorted me and Xena back to mother at the tavern. There he told her what happened and asked if he could borrow us for a while. I was so scared of what was going to happen to us. We loved grandpa but he could be pretty harsh sometimes when we disobeyed him."**

**Annie gulped. "So what happened?" she asked not sure she wanted to know the answer to that question. **

"**Well, we got off a lot easier than we'd thought. He made us stay with him for a couple of days and clean his house. We had to be as thorough as possible and if missed a spot he'd make us do it all over again." Toris laughed at the bizarre situation they had gotten themselves into. "I think we cleaned the house five times before he was satisfied. And when he was he sat down with us at the table and spoke to us about consequences and the importance of taking care of your family and not endanger them. He told me to never do anything like that again or I would be in a lot worse trouble with him than I had been this time. After that Xena played with us whenever she wanted to."**

**Gabrielle smiled. It was hard for her to think of her friend as a little girl wanting to play with her brother's friends. "You make her sound pretty innocent. " she smiled.**

**Toris laughed out loud at her comment "Oh no, no no no. That's not what I was trying to do. She was indeed not that innocent all the time. She was very strong for her age so she wasn't easy to beat up. And she looked very innocent and sweet. So If she didn't get what she wanted from us when we were outside playing she could just stop a stranger walking by and say we were mean to her. And WE would be in trouble." He laughed. His sister was certainly not stupid. **

**Annie laughed too. She found the story amusing enough. She had always been missing a picture in her mind of what Xena was like as a kid. Toris had just created a small one. She smiled.**

**An hour passed by before Xena and Metaxas caught up with the others. They rode up beside their companions in silence. Gabrielle, Toris and Annie on the other hand were still in a very good mood and laughed at jokes and stories. Xena was surprised to see her brother that way. But it was an encouraging sight. **

**Annie glanced at Metaxas who was sitting quiet as usual riding his black horse. But she could see he had been crying. His cheeks were puffy and his eyes red and he kept his stare fixed on the ground before him. **

**Xena cleared her throat. "What happened back there is now forgotten. At least on my part. And Metaxas has promised to start helping out around camp and doing his chores just like the rest of us." She declared. "Isn't that right, Metaxas?" she asked in a voice that demanded a yes for an answer.**

**The boy simply nodded. Toris jaw dropped in amazement. But he didn't say anything not wanting to hurt the boy's feelings. Metaxas looked up at him and Toris could see how angry he was.**

**They mounted up and galloped as fast as they could to regain the time lost on foolishness as Xena had put it. Annie rode with her as usual. **

**Three more days went by as they travelled. They passed through many villages on their way to Rome. Sometimes they stopped there for supplies and sometimes they didn't. When they did Annie took her time to look around and talk to as many people as she could. She didn't often get the chance to talk to anyone else but her companions when they were on the road. **

**Metaxas had started doing chores like her and he no longer sent angry glances towards Xena for whatever had happened the other day. She had even handed her chakram to him and Annie to hold. And she had told them about how you'd have to think four steps ahead before you threw it. Metaxas said nothing but his face shone with anticipation of one day being able to have one of his own. But Xena had made it very clear that they were not allowed to touch hers without her permission and supervision. Annie had accepted this a long time ago so she did not argue. She saw no point in it anyway because Xena would not change her mind. However Gabrielle had started teaching her more moves with the staff and even though she felt she was making no progress what so ever yet she still thought it was fun. **

**One evening Gabrielle picked up her staff and told Annie to get hers. The girl had picked out an old stick she had bought in a village for almost no money at all. But it would do for practice this early on in her training. **

"**Lets go." The bard said feeling it was time to focus on something else than how tired she was. She was sure Annie was just as tires as she was and needed to focus on something fun too. She looked at Metaxas who met her stare.**

"**Would you like to join us?" she asked and tried her best to sound encouraging. "Come on."**

**It would be dark soon and she wanted to get started before then so they would get at least an hour of practice before bedtime.**

**The boy seemed to think it over for a minute but then he got up from his seat on the log. The five companions had just had supper. He followed Gabrielle and Annie who placed themselves not too far away from the warriors but enough distance between them so that they could practice alone without any interference.**

**Metaxas sat down on the ground to watch Annie and Gabrielle go first. Then he would join them when they wished him to and he had observed for a while before he decided.**

**Toris and Xena decided to take care of the dishes down by the lake they had stopped close to. They collected the plates and knives and mugs and went down to the water. **

"**I think it's a good thing that Metaxas is so much more cooperative now." Toris said and glanced at his sister. "But I have to ask. What did you say to him to make him change his attitude so fast?"**

**Xena frowned at the memory. "Well. In a way I knew he was going to do something. He had been eyeing my weapons all day before. Every time I caught him looking my way he looked away. We had a talk about touching other peoples' belongings and consequences that could have in the future. "**

**Toris didn't really need to hear any more. He knew how convincing his sister could be with younger kids. But he had to admit he had doubted she would succeed with Metaxas. **

**Xena picked up a plate and put it in the water and began to wash it. Toris frowned as a thought crossed his mind. "Hey, why are WE doing this anyway? Isn't this one of the things we agreed Annie and Metaxas were supposed to do together?" he asked and put a hand on his sister's arm to hinder her.**

"**Yes, it was. I just figured they deserved to relax and do some training instead with Gabrielle." She glanced up the way they had come and listened for staffs crossing each other in practice. "Have you noticed that the two of them seem to have grown a bit closer the last two days?"**

**Toris agreed. "Indeed. I think it might have something to do with us accidentally putting them together while doing chores. But it's a good thing."**

**Xena nodded. "Maybe."**

**Toris noticed her worried expression. "You're worried Metaxas might have a bad influence on Annie. He's a not a bad kid Xena. He just needs some guiding right now. "**

**The warrior princess nodded. "When did you become so wise?" she asked jokingly and smiled at him. Toris just grinned but didn't answer her.**

**They washed the dishes in silence for a while. Toris broke the silence when they were on their last plate.**

"**You know we're getting closer to Rome. My guess would be that we'd be on the road about two more days now."**

"**Three days," Xena said without looking up from her plate. "Are you worried we'll fail?" she asked. Normally she would have kept quiet but she felt her brother needed to be asked that question.**

"**Mmhm. I'm worried we'll be too late." he said in a low voice barely hear able. **

**Xena sighed. She hoped they wouldn't be. She wanted her older brother to see Emarentia again. And she wanted to meet the woman who had won his heart.**

"**You know, Toris. I can't promise you we'll be on time. But I can promise you that I'll do my very best to find her and to save her once we get there. And we'll get there soon now." She said trying to sound encouraging. **

"**I really hope we'll get there on time." He said in the same low voice. "She changed my life you know." He said and smiled as he watched the glittering water surface.**

"**Yeah? How?"**

"**Xerxes and Emarentia were the first people I got to know after I had left my hatred towards Corteese in the past. I wasn't sure how I was going to live my life or what was going to drive me forward. As I told you I spent a lot of time with them after I had taken it as my responsibility to protect them. Xerxes taught me to fight."**

"**I noticed you've picked up some new skills with a sword." Xena said.**

"**Uh huh. But when I say that he taught me how to fight then I don't just mean that he sharpened what I already had. I mean he made me give up what I knew before about sword fighting and learn again. This time from him. He taught me new ways to view things."**

**Xena was impressed. She didn't remember her brother as the sort of person who would sacrifice his earlier knowledge for a new, better one. He must have put great faith in the old man. "You must have admired him greatly."**

**Toris nodded. "Yes. He taught me a lot. And so did his granddaughter. I don't think I had felt love since I was back home before Lyceus died. Back then I loved my family openly. And I had had a girl I liked once when I was about fourteen summers. But Emarentia taught me to love again. This time I truly left all hatred behind me. I truly forgot the feelings and bad ideals I had lived by before."**

**They were quiet again. Xena bagan to understand what he felt for the woman they were going to rescue. "All your ideals weren't that bad." **

"**No, not all. But many of them."**

**Xena was beginning to understand what saving this woman meant to her brother. She herself had felt like she had been reborn before in her life. And her guess was that that was the experience he had gotten to now. And the reason was Emarentia and Xerxes, but he couldn't be saved anymore. He was already dead.**

**Gabrielle sat quietly riding her horse the next day. She thought about last evening's practice with Annie and Metaxas. Annie's skills with the staff was improving. Metaxas had given it a fair try as well. **

**Xena was happy Gabrielle had taken it upon her to teach Annie how to defend herself. The bard was concentrating on teaching her defensive moves and not attacking. And it was working. So far Annie wasn't protesting. **

**Gabrielle glanced at Xena and Annie. They were busy conversing about something. The two of them looked like they had been together forever. Gabrielle had been watching them closely the last days. It was obvious to her that they had grown close and created a bond of trust already. Sure Annie had looked up to Xena quite some time now. But now she didn't just admire her she also trusted her. And Xena had always loved kids. But She didn't just see Annie as _ANY_ kid anymore. Gabrielle thought she viewed her as _HER_ kid now. Biologically of course she wasn't. But she didn't need to be.**

**When the day was finally over they had reached a village. It lay close to Rome and they would only have to travel a couple of hours the next day and they would be in the city of Rome. Toris had gone to the tavern and gotten them a room to share for the night. They figured it would be nice for the kids to sleep on a cot for once instead of on the ground. **

**Annie, Metaxas, Xena and Gabrielle followed him in after having left the horses in the stables. Gabrielle could hardly keep her eyes open she was so tired. And Xena was pretty beat to. They all were. Except Annie. When they entered the room she dropped her things on her cot and walked towards the door. **

"**Where do you think you're going?" Xena asked. Annie turned and faced the warrior. "It's time to get some sleep now Annie. We all need it. So get on your cot and close your eyes now." she said in a determined voice which left no room for discussion.**

**Annie hesitated at first looking longingly at the door. She could feel the warrior's stare fixed on her. Oh how badly she wanted to go outside and take a walk. Take some time to think and be alone. But she didn't dare while Xena was watching her.**

**She walked back to her cot and sat down on it. Xena took the one next to her and Gabrielle conquered the smaller one in the corner. Toris got the one by the window in the room and Metaxas had camped in the one by the door. Toris waited until everyone had lain down comfortably until he blew out he candle and the room went dark. Only the light from the full moon in the night sky lit up the room some. Annie waited until she heard Toris and Gabrielle snore before she got up. She prayed to the gods that Xena had fallen asleep to by now before she started moving. Annie made it all the way to the door and out into the corridor. She closed the door behind her and walked down the stairs. It was late and the innkeeper was busy cleaning the tables and counting his money to notice the girl who discretely snuck out. **

**To be continued**


	18. One day left

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess".**

**Annie stared up at the full moon. It's light was definitely strong. In a way it felt like she was looking up at the sun instead of the moon. She started walking around in the village. She passed the market but it was empty of course. It seemed like every villager was asleep at this hour. The longer away from the tavern she walked, the darker it became. Near the tavern there were candles in the windows to keep the street lit up. But only a couple of houses away from it the candles stopped and it was pitch black instead. **

**Annie was not afraid of the dark. It was the beings _IN_ the dark that bothered her. So she chose to turn back. It didn't take long to get back to the tavern. As she was closing in on it she walked around the corner and suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and another one over her mouth. At first she struggled but then she froze as she realized who it was. When she had stopped struggling the hands released her and she turned around slowly expecting to see Xena. "Sorry I…" she started to make excuses but when she saw the face of a boy she knew she felt the anger grow inside her. "Metaxas, what are you doing?! You scared me you son of a…" she stopped herself before she said the word. **

"**What are you doing out here? She asked upset.**

**Metaxas shrugged and pointed at her. **

"**You were following me?" Annie asked.**

**Metaxas nodded. He kept eye contact with her the entire time. He truly had amazing eyes. He didn't always need to use words. Sometimes it seemed to Annie like he could communicate with just those eyes. **

"**Did you do it out of concern or just to annoy me, damn it?" she barked at him but quickly calmed down again. It was obvious that he had done it out of concern. "Alright then." She said and relaxed. "I just needed some time to myself. Not that I don't love spending time with you guys. But sometimes it feels like I don't get any space at all."**

**Metaxas nodded again. He knew what she meant, Annie could tell. "Can I ask you a question?" **

**Metaxas answer was a simple nod. **

"**I know you don't speak since… well I don't have to tell you because you already know. But why don't you talk to me at least? It would be nice to have someone not so old to talk to around here." She said and smiled at him. **

**Metaxas shook his head no and looked sad. **

"**No it's okay. I can talk to you anyway. You're obviously a good listener." Annie smiled and so did Metaxas. "We should probably get back inside or Xena will skin both of us alive when she finds us out here. "**

**Metaxas made the gesture "after you please" and followed her to the tavern. Annie pushed the doorknob but nothing happened. She tried again with the same result. Metaxas pushed her aside and tried with a bit more force but neither one of them could open the door. It was locked from the inside.**

"**Stupid door and innkeeper. Now what are we going to do? We can't just sit out here until Xena and Toris comes out in the morning. If that's our only option then I'd rather run and hide." Annie said but she didn't really mean that of course. She would never run away like that over something like this, but she was a little worried of facing the warrior now. She would be awfully mad at her for sneaking out like this in the night. **

**Annie leaned against the door and slid to the ground. Metaxas took her hand and pulled her to her feet again. Then he pulled her over to a window on the backside of the house. It was slightly open. **

"**Oh, it's open a crack. Wonder who left it like this. Anyone could get in." she said and frowned.**

**Metaxas pointed at himself and looked quite proud. **

"**You mean you did it? So we could get inside in case this happened?"**

**He nodded. They climbed inside and landed on the kitchen floor with a thud. Hoping no one had heard that they closed the window and secured it. Then they made their way upstairs as quietly as they could. **

**Gabrielle, Xena, Toris and Metaxas and Annie were together at a table in the tavern having breakfast. Both Annie and Metaxas kept yawning all through the meal.**

"**You two seem tired this morning." The Bard observed. "Didn't sleep well?" she asked suspicious. **

**Annie looked up from her food. "No not really. Bad dream." she lied and she immediately felt guilty about it. But she quickly shook it off. Metaxas sat staring out the window absentminded. **

**Xena rose from the table. "I'll go pay for the room and start getting the horses ready. Finish your breakfast and meet me outside." She saw that Annie had finished already. "You seem to be finished. You can come with me."**

**Annie didn't feel like going outside at all. She'd must rather sit and take it easy a few more minutes. But she didn't want to argue with Xena. She sensed the warrior suspected something. So she just rose and took her plate with her and put it on the innkeeper's desk without protesting. **

**They exited the house and went into the stables and began saddling the horses. Annie took care of Argo and made sure she got a piece of apple she had brought her for a treat. Xena watched how well they got along now and smiled at the sight. She picked up a saddle and started tending to the other horses. "Annie?"**

**Annie kept her gaze fixed on the horse and avoided looking at the warrior. "Hmm." she answered pretending to be somewhere else in her mind.**

"**Is there something you want to tell me?" Xena asked in a knowing tone that Annie didn't like at all. Not that her little crime had been big but she still didn't want the warrior to know. **

"**No, Xena. What would that be?" she asked in the most innocent voice she could manage.**

**The warrior sighed. She knew something was going on. Annie was a very bad liar. The worst she had seen in fact. But sooner or later the truth would come out. She would just have to wait. "It's best to tell me now, honey." She tried her best to convince the girl. Gabrielle was better with words than her so maybe she'd let her try later to.**

**Suddenly Annie felt the anger rush through her. Why didn't Xena believe her? What made her so sure she was lying? "I don't know what you mean!! Now stop nagging about it!" she bellowed.**

**Xena raised a brow in surprise at the girl's outburst. She stopped what she was doing and looked at Annie with a serious expression written in her beautiful face. "There is no need for you to get angry like that" she said calmly. The fact that Annie got angry was only an obvious sign that she was guilty of something.**

**Annie knew she had gone to far again. "Sorry, Xena. That was stupid of me." She said and hoped Xena would accept her apology. **

**Xena nodded and got back to work. "We need to move out soon if we are to get to Rome tonight."**

**They finished preparing the horses and brought them outside. Gabrielle, Toris and Metaxas soon joined them. **

**Toris stood in front of the others and said "Okay so we now have a days journey left until we get to Rome. We should be there by nightfall." And they began riding towards the city.**

To be continued


	19. In Rome

**Title: Someone please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena warrior princess".**

**Xena had Annie in front of her in the saddle. They rode fast through the forest for about an hour until they reached a big rode. On the rode they slowed their pace down a bit as they started to meet other travellers. As the hours passed by on the road they had time to talk about what they were going to do after they had rescued Emarentia. Toris wanted them all to go to Amphipolis to see their mother.**

"**Anything in particular you want to do there?" Gabrielle asked.**

"**It's getting close to Solstice. I'd like to celebrate it there with her." He told her. "I'd like to see more of her after this is done." **

**The bard understood that fully. She too would like to see her family soon. She hadn't seen them for so long and hadn't heard from Lila in a while either. "So Xena, what do you want to do?" she asked, trying to get her to engage in their conversation.**

**Xena sent her friend a warm smile. "First of all I'd like to finish this mission." Was her answer.**

**The bard sighed and didn't try to hide it. But she grinned at her friend's answer anyway. "Yeah, yeah. Can't you ever think two steps ahead?" she asked and then corrected herself before the warrior had time to answer. "Except for when you're in a fight of course."**

**Annie grinned at her friends' behaviour towards each other. She had let go of this morning's anger and was in a very good mood now. She enjoyed the fine whether of the day and the company she was in. They were all in good spirits today. But she also felt a little guilty because of what she and Metaxas had done during the night. Perhaps it would have been a good idea to have taken Xena's advice and told her what they had done. "Maybe I should have been honest." She mumbled to herself without thinking.**

"**What was that?" Xena asked.**

**Annie looked up "Nothing!" she answered a little too quickly. **

"**Okay."**

**She had wanted to be honest with Xena this morning when she had asked what was wrong. But she remembered how angry the warrior had been after she got lost in the woods that time and didn't want to repeat that. Xena had made it very clear that she was not allowed to ever do anything like that again. And now she had. She was sure there would be consequences if she found out. And she was afraid of what those consequences might be.**

**Xena thought of Annie. Of how she had grown the last couple of weeks with them. She didn't have to be asked to help set up camp or help with supper anymore. She did it anyway. And she knew how to do all of it herself too if need be. Xena was very proud of the girl. She had also made progress with the staff. **

**Metaxas had started doing better in the group as well. Since the time Xena spoke to him privately after he threw her chakram. He did his chores now and he and Annie got along fine. He had practiced some with the staff too which had even made him smile. **

"**So anything in particular you want to do, Annie?" Gabrielle asked.**

**Annie thought it over a few seconds before answering. "I'd like to go to Ithaka. I've heard it's supposed to be lovely. " she said. "In one of the taverns we've stayed in on this journey I heard a bard tell a story about Ithaka and Ulysses and Penelope. He said the land was beautiful and peaceful. But also full of adventures!"**

**The adults grinned at her enthusiasm over the story. Though Xena and Gabrielle both knew it was true. They had been there before. "Maybe tonight I'll tell you a story of my own about that island." Said Gabrielle.**

"**That would be great!" Annie said and Metaxas agreed by nodding. "Have you heard stories too?" she asked him. He looked at her and smiled and gave her a nod. "Yeah of course you have, you're from around here." She said happily.**

**The five companions chatted on while on the big road. Gabrielle entertained them with a story of the dragons of Greece and the mysterious caves. It was something she had heard as a child and shared with the others. The day went by quickly. They had lunch at noon. They didn't bother to stop but ate on horseback instead to gain time. Some bread and cheese was all they had brought figuring they would have a better meal when reaching Rome. And they had been correct about the time they would get there. As the darkness was starting to fall they were standing on a small hill looking down at the city of Rome. **

**Before her Xena saw the familiar sight of the city she had once loved and then resented. Big buildings made of stone stood there. Some better looking than others which were for more common people. And Caesar's palace was visible no matter what angle you were watching the city from. It stood there in all it's lustre, huge, white and full of manipulation and lies. But not even Xena could deny it was a beautiful building. **

**Annie just stared at the great city. "Wow!" she gasped loud enough for the others to hear it. **

**Gabrielle nodded at the girl's reaction. Sure she had seen Rome before. But it never seemed to stop amaze her. "It truly is magnificent." she glanced at her friend. "Sorry Xena, I know how you feel about this place." She said.**

**The warrior shook her head. "No, Gabrielle. It's okay. You're right."**

**They all took a moment before Xena broke the silence "But we don't have time to observe it from the outside like this all evening. Lets go inside."**

**They started approaching the city. Before walking up all the way to the gate Xena stopped and the others did so as well. "Toris, you and Metaxas go ahead through the gates to the city. You'll pass without questions. Me and Gabrielle have to find an other way to enter."**

**Annie looked from Xena to Toris who seemed to know what she meant. "Hang on a second now. Why do you have to find an other way? Can't we just go inside and get on with things?" she asked. She was hungry and tired of being on a horse and really wanted some changes in her surroundings. **

"**Sure. Do you want us to take Annie with us?" Toris asked. Metaxas face lit up and he looked anticipant. But Xena turned him down on his offer.**

"**No thanks. I'm keeping her with me."**

**Toris nodded. "I'll find the teacher's school and meet you there."**

**Xena dismounted Argo and started leading her with Annie on the horse's back into the woods near the city walls. Gabrielle rode close behind. **

"**Can someone please answer my earlier question now? Why are we entering another way?"**

**Xena didn't answer this time either. She was busy keeping all her senses alert in case something or someone would show up and endanger them.**

**The bard took it upon her to answer the girl instead. "Xena doesn't want to risk being recognized, honey. And the same goes for me. I've been here before under circumstances not so nice."**

**Annie lowered her gaze, ashamed she hadn't understood that immediately. "I see. But how are we going to enter undiscovered then? These walls are too high to climb." **

**Xena finally spoke "Don't worry. We just need to change our outfits a little." She halted Argo and went through one of the bags. She held out a yellow cloak for Annie and helped her off the horse. "Put this on. And pull the hood over your head." Annie did as she was told. Xena then took out a grey one for the bard and a black one for herself. "With these on we definitely won't stand out in the crowd. It's a fashion thing in Rome." The warrior said.¨"Now we can pass through the gate. We'll use the the south gate. Caesar has his less observant guards there I recall." **

**They started moving again. Annie felt like they were never going to stop. "Xena?"**

"**Hmm"**

"**I'm so tired. Can we stop sometime today you think?"**

**Gabrielle and Xena exchanged knowing glances with each other. Annie had been a real champ during this trip. She definitely deserved some well-earned rest in a safe place. And she was going to get it. **

**They passed through the gates without problems or questions. The streets of Rome were filled with people even at this time in the evening. Women, men and children walked in and out of stores and the taverns were filled with thirsty and hungry people. Annie didn't have a hard time figuring out which houses were taverns. They were usually very loud places. **

**There were beggars in the street corners, some crippled and others just hungry and without a place to stay. Rome was very different from the villages they had been to. It was bigger. But it was also more civilized. Not that the villagers were uncivilized but they felt simple. Living a simple life having a family and work and were happy with that. But here some people were a lot more dressed up in dresses and nice tunics and cloaks. Of course there were more regular people out too. Commoners as probably Caesar sitting in his palace would call them. The streets were just so full of life. They reminded Annie of the time she and her parents had been on vacation to Italy in one of those places tourists chose to stay in. The streets there were full of people who stayed out until morning. **

**There seemed to be some sort of celebration going on in Rome. They walked a few blocks away from the gates and tents had been put up and music came from there. People were dancing both inside and outside the tents to the music. However Xena led them away from the noise and celebration. It was definitely not the time. They passed the crowded streets and the further away the got from where they had been the fewer fancy people they saw. **

"**Xena, are we going to the really poor side of town?" **

"**No, Gabrielle. The school is in the "normal" part of town." She said and grinned at her friend's way of expressing herself. "Not where the wealthy ones lives either. "**

**On their way they passed by a huge statue of Caesar himself. Annie only got a quick glimpse of it because they passed by s quickly. But she didn't need to see more. She didn't find him handsome or magnificent in any way. But she found the statue impressing because of it's size. **

**Finally they reached a house, as many others in Rome built of stone. It looked like any other house in the city. But it wasn't. It was the school where Annie and Metaxas would be staying while in Rome. Annie already felt a resentment towards the building. **

**As they had tied Argo securely to a pole outside and gotten some fresh water for her from the well on the small yard which belonged to the school, they were ready to go inside. But as they approached the wooden door with a sign on it saying "Welcome to enter all you who seek knowledge and safety", Annie stopped. Xena and Gabrielle turned. Gabrielle looked surprised but Xena just motioned for her to enter. She then walked back to where Annie had stopped and looked her in the eyes.**

"**Lets go inside. My decision will NOT change because you refuse to enter. It will only make me angry." the large warrior said tapping her toe impatiently. When Annie neither moved nor looked at her she tried again. "Look, Annie. We have all travelled a long way and we're tired. Toris and Metaxas are already inside." she pointed at the horses they knew belonged to them in the stables. "Me and Toris are going to talk to the teacher and make sure everything works out fine while we're gone. Then we'll have to leave. But you'll be safe here. " Annie didn't look convinced. "I'll bet you'll even have fun!"**

**Annie finally looked up at Xena with an angry stare. "I don't want to stay here. I don't want you to leave. " she argued and then lowered her gaze again.**

**Xena sighed and began to suspect she would never get to enter that house. She softened her tone a bit "I know, honey. But I explained this. This is the safest place for you right now. Where I'll be it won't be safe and I will not risk you getting hurt. You'll stay here under this teacher's supervision and protection while we're away searching for Emarentia. And when we find her we'll come right back here and get you two so we can leave." She tried to be as clear about what would happen as possible but the girl just shook her head. Annie couldn't help it. She knew what Xena was telling her was something she should be able to accept and go with considering her age and by now experience. But right now she just felt so very small. And she was scared of being left behind. The two people who had made her feel safe for the first time since she was at least ten were Xena and Gabrielle and they were going to leave her. But she refused to cry. **

"**Annie…" Xena pleaded with her but the girl felt unable to move. Xena finally reached a limit and murmured. "Have it your way. " and suddenly Annie felt herself being scooped up and slung over the warrior's shoulder. **

"**No, don't!" she cried, even though she knew it wouldn't help her. Xena put her down when she had reached the door. **

"**I don't have a choice." She knocked on the door and then waited. An older lady answered the door. She had grey hair which she wore in a bun. Annie thought it made her look very strict. And she wore a white dress and an apron. She looked to be around sixty years old.**

"**Welcome! You must be Xena." she said as she eyed the great warrior. The old woman stepped aside and allowed them to enter. "Your brother and Metaxas are waiting for you in the kitchen. I'm making you all some food." She explained and smiled.**

**Xena entered and pushed Annie in front of her. The old woman put a hand on her forehead and sighed. "Oh dear oh dear where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Gemma. The teacher here at this school." she told them. "I was told you have two little ones you'd like t leave her with me for a while?"**

**She turned her attention to Annie. The girl forced back her tears and looked up at the woman. She was quite tall for an older woman. "And this must be the girl." she said in a cheerful voice. She bent down and shook Annie's hand.**

"**Yes, this is she." Xena answered.**

"**Hello, sweetie! What's your name?" she asked. Sure the woman seemed nice but there was something about her that made Annie doubt she was really as enthusiastic about their meeting as she wanted them to think. **

"**Annie, answer the question, please." Xena said and frowned at the girl's manners. _"What's going on with her?" _Xena wondered. **

"**S…sorry. My names is Annie." she answered shortly but kept eye contact with the lady the entire time now. Gemma nodded and gestured for them to follow her.**

**It was a big place and they had t pass trough three other rooms before getting to the kitchen. One was a bedroom with about a dozen beds in it but it was empty. Then they passed through something that looked like a room the kids relaxed in. Five kids who looked like they were Annie's age were sitting together at a big round table playing some game with cards. All of them hurried to get to their feet as they walked in. Gemma signalled for them to sit back down with a warm smile. "Please, you'll have plenty of time to talk to the new boy and girl later." She said. **

**They continued into another room where four younger kids sat playing with some dolls on a carpet made from some kind of big animal with fur. Gemma just patted each one gently on the head as she walked by them. They exited the room and entered the kitchen. That was also a big room. Annie guessed that was so that all the kids could all eat together in there. There were two really big tables and one couch and seven chairs. There was also a huge stove in a corner of the room. Toris and Metaxas were seated on the couch having some orange juice when they walked in. **

**Xena, Gabrielle and Annie joined them and Gemma took out glasses for them as well and filled them. "I didn't know you were coming so you'll have to settle for some leftovers because the children have already eaten." The old woman said. **

"**That's just fine. Thank you for you hospitality, ma'am" Toris said with a nod. The old woman smiled and left them to go prepare the food by the stove. Toris turned to Xena. "I see you found a way in as usual. Everything go okay?" he asked.**

"**Yes, it went fine." Xena answered. "Where is Gabrielle?" she asked and scanned the room searching for the little blonde. "She went in a head of us. " she said puzzled.**

"**She was here." Toris answered."But she wanted t have a look around. "**

**Xena rolled her eyes at the bard's curiosity. "Okay, she'll be back soon then." **

**Annie was hardly listening to the other's conversation. She was busy desperately trying to find a way out of the inevitable. She glanced at Metaxas who was sitting across the table. His face didn't show any emotions at all. That worried Annie. _"He probably feels just as scared as I do right now."_ She thought. She noticed the window which was open and in a way screaming for her to just get up and jump out. She would then make a run for it and hide somewhere until Xena had decided to take her with her and not leave her here. But she did not dare. **

**Xena would probably find her real fast before she had a chance to find a place to hide. As if the warrior had read the girl's mind Annie looked up at her and Xena shook her head slowly and said in a low voice. "Don't even think about it."**

To be continued


	20. School

**Title: Someone please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess" .**

**Gemma opened the door to the sleeping hall. ****She directed Annie and Metaxas to their beds where they put down their belongings. Metaxas sat down on his bed but Annie immediately returned to Xena's side and stayed close to her. **

"**This is where the children sleep. We have a r****oom where my lessons are taught. They will spend a great deal of time there even when I'm not teaching. It keeps them out of trouble."**

**Annie didn't like the sound of that. ****She sounded like that old headmaster who used to put her in detention. She had also said it was done to keep her away from trouble. **

**Gemma continued. "We do sometimes get**** some troublemakers here unfortunately. But I enjoy helping them become better people. Studying helps them concentrate. The children also help out around here with chores and the horses in the stable." The old woman reached out and patted Annie on the head. "We are going to have fun. And you two" she nodded towards Metaxas on the bed" seem like such nicely behaved children." She smiled.**

**Toris touched Xena's arm and whispered "We have to get going if we wish to get anything done tonight. " Xena nodded in agreement and Toris turned to Gemma. "This seems to be a nice place for the kids to stay at. Take good care of them and we'll pay for their stay here when we return. Which we will do as soon as possible."**

"**Yes, that will be fine. Don't worry about your little ones here.**** Gemma will take good care of them." she assured the warriors. "Now I'll let you say goodbye. I'll be in the next room with the other children. It'll be time for bed soon."**

**She left the room and Xena and Toris were alone and left with the difficult task of saying goodbye to Annie and Metaxas.**** Toris walked over to the boy and sat down next to him on the bed. "We'll be back soon, you know. If we are to find your sister we need to be able to focus. And it'll be easier for us to do that if we know that you two are safe here. " he put an arm around the boy's shoulders and Metaxas turned and hugged him instead. Toris was surprised but hugged him back and then got up and walked over to Annie and gave her a hug as well. **

"_**Don't cry! Dont cry**_**!" Annie thought and fought back the tears. "Bye." She whispered.**

**Toris let go and it was Xena's turn. The warrior princess kneeled down and put her arms around Annie who threw her arms around Xena's neck never wanting to let go.**

**The warrior whispered in the girl's ear. "****Be brave. I know this scares you, but I can't and I won't bring you along for something this dangerous. It's because I care about you." she assured her and Annie nodded. **

"**I know." she whispered back with tears in her eyes.**** But she thought about the warrior's words and fought back the tears. She was going to be brave. "Hurry back. Pleeaase." she said. **

**Xena let go and got up and walked over to Metaxas and gave him a hug as well.**** "Hey, you take care of each other now." she said and smiled.**

**As they exited through ****the door Xena turned and looked directly at Annie and said. "Be good." then she closed the door behind them and left.**

**Out in the stables Xena and Toris found Gabrielle brushing Argo. Xena stopped at the sight and she put her hands on her hips and frowned at the Bard.**** "Alright, just what do you think you're doing?" she asked in a serious tone. "Why aren't you inside saying goodbye to the kids?"**

**Gabrielle looked up at her friend. "I just wanted to check this place out before we leave them here. I'm going in now."**

**Xena moved her hands to her sides again. ****"So did you find anything?" she moved to her friend's side.**

**Gabrielle shook her head. "No. T****hat's the weird thing. Everything seems so perfect. Almost too perfect." she said and put the brush back in the saddlebag.**

**Toris took his horse's reigns and started to lead him outside. "Yeah, I know. The problem is that we can't take days to find another place for them now because this one seems too good." **

**The Bard and Warrior exchanged glances. They both knew Toris was anxious to find Emarentia.**** "Gabrielle, go inside now."**

**The bard took two steps closer to the door and stopped. "****You know I'm dreading this. I don't want to leave her here."**

**Xena didn't say anything but**** Gabrielle already knew she felt the same way.**

**The next morning:**

**Gabrielle an****d Xena were seated at a table at an inn waiting for Toris. It didn't take long until he entered. Gabrielle pulled up a chair for him to sit down. He looked tired and had circles under his eyes. The three of them hadn't slept at all during the night. They had split up and started asking around at taverns and talked to people on the streets and asked if they had seen a red-haired woman with blue eyes being held prisoner. People refused to talk to them about it. It was obvious that they knew more than they let on and were afraid of the Zolicans. **

"**You find out anything useful?" Xena asked her brother who shook his head.**

"**No one has seen or heard anything." He sighed and buried his face in his hands.**

**Xena saw her brother's desperation slowly approaching. "I'm going to make a visit to an old contact of mine. I think he might know where to start looking. The Zolicans are well known in town and he always did have good contact with the thugs of the city." She got up ad the Bard followed. When Xena saw that her friend was ready to follow her she put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "No, Gabrielle. I'll go see him alone. He won't talk to me otherwise." she explained and the Bard did not object. "You and Toris go back to our room and get some rest. I'll be back soon."**

**Annie and Metaxas sat ****together with nine other kids at the table in the kitchen. They were waiting for breakfast which a female cook was preparing for them. They had been introduced to her by Gemma before she left the kitchen. Her name was Ninna. She wasn't very old. In her thirties perhaps. She had a nice smile and black hair and dark skin. She seemed nice, but certainly not happy. Annie would describe her as gloomy. Which was the mood she herself was in right now. **

**Annie turned to Metaxas and whispered "Did you sleep anything last night?"**** He nodded but she wasn't sure if he was honest or just wanted her to think he could handle being on his own like this. "Well, I didn't sleep much. I don't like that woman Gemma. She gives me a bad feeling all over." she didn't have time to tell him more before all the kids suddenly stood up when Gemma entered. Annie and Metaxas didn't react the same way and stayed in their seats at first. Gemma stood at the side of the table with her arms crossed over her chest. She looked strict. Just as she had from the moment Xena, Gabrielle and Toris had left. Annie tried to calm herself by thinking that maybe it was just her way to keep control over her students. Just like the teachers at home did. Because if they didn't the kids just walked all over them instead. Perhaps she was really nice deep down, but just didn't show it. When Annie realized the reason she looked extra strict at the moment she tugged at Metaxas tunic and they both stood up as well. **

"**Alright. ****For those of you who don't know yet. We have two new students here." She motioned for Annie and Metaxas to come over to where she was standing. "This is Annie and Metaxas. They will be here with us for a while. Treat them with respect and kindness as we do here at this school." The gave both Annie and Metaxas a pat on the back and they returned to their seats. All the others sat down as well. "As soon as Ninna is finished preparing your breakfast you will eat. Then you will all be given chores which you will be done with as quickly as possible. Because afterwards you all have classes to attend to, taught of course by me."**

**Ninna started handing out plates and glasses and soon they were offered bread and cheese and juice. **

**They were divided into ****groups of three for chores. Annie ended up with two other girls. One was her age and the other a little younger. They were sent out to the stables to clean it and feed the horses. Annie followed the two girls and they explained to her what to do. They had done it before. **

"**I'm Annie." she introduced herself.**

"**Hi!" said the younger girl.**** "I'm Dasha." she said with a smile. "This is my sister, Theola. She's older than me. I know she doesn't look it, but she really is." She assured Annie with a giggle. Her sister punched her but not very hard. **

"**Oh be quiet you!" ****she said annoyed and turned to Annie "She always does that. And just to anger me." She glared at her little sister for a minute but then gave Annie her full attention. "So, where are you from?" she asked.**

**Annie wanted to ****tell her the truth but she felt it would be too complicated to explain and she wasn't even sure if they'd believe her. "Me and Metaxas travel around with three adults." she chose to say.**

**The little one, Dasha cut in again.**** "Are they your relatives? Are you orphans?" she asked a little too enthusiastic. **

**Her sister sighed. "I told you to be quiet. ****Every time you open your mouth you're either rude, or a lie comes out. Let her tell us without interruptions."**

**Annie agreed that Dasha had been a little rude, but she chose to answer her question anyway.**** It's not like she was sensitive after all. "No, they're not our relatives. In fact, Metaxas isn't even my brother. We're just friends." she told them. "I actually travel with two women. And he travels with the man in the group, Toris. We just happened to meet up with them recently because Toris is Xena's brother and he needed her help."**

**Theola looked confused. "Okay. What did he need her help with?****" she asked.**

**This was getting complicated anyway but Annie felt she needed to tell someone the truth about why they were living at the school. "He needs Xena's help to find Metaxas sister Emarentia. She was kidnapped by the Zolicans."**

**Dasha's eyes went wide when she heard that. "****By the **_**Zolicans**_** ?!" she exclaimed. "By the Gods! They must be really brave if they have gone to find her after she's been taken by them." She said and sounded mightily impressed. "But why are the two of you here then? Didn't they want you anymore?"**

**Theola looked ready to punch her sister again but Annie hurried to answer before she had a chance to. "No that wasn't it. Xena, Gabrielle and Toris wanted us to stay here because they wanted us to be safe when they went searching for the Zolicans. ****That's all. Theyll be back for us soon."**

**Theola looked sympathetic. "I hope you're right. A lot of kids end up he****re with the promise that their parents or whoever left them will be back for them. But they never return." **

**Annie felt like her heart had s****topped for a second when she heard that. Theola saw her terrified expression and hurried to say. "Of course I don't think that's going to happen to you. "**

**It was an attempt to make Annie feel better, she knew that. But the thought had already been planted in the girl's mind. What if Xena didn't come back for her?**

**Theola took a quick look out the door. "We'd better start cleaning up in here. We can't be late for morning class."she picked up a broom and started sweeping the floor. Annie grabbed one in the corner and Dasha took care of the horses.**

**They chit chatted while cleaning and Annie asked Theola why she and her sister were at the school. She told her that their father had been a roman soldier who fought in one of Caesar's battles against Pompeii, He had been killed by a spear. Their mother had not had the money to provide for them so she had given them to the school and started working in a brothel. But Theola and Dasha weren't angry with their mother. They hoped she would be back for them one day too. Just as Annie hoped Xena would be back for her.**

**To be continued**


	21. Rules in school

**Title: Someone please believe in me**

**Discliamer: I don't own the charcters on "Xena warrior princess"**

**Annie and Metaxas and all the other kids, Dasha and Theola included, were gathered at a round table. Gemma was walking back and forth in the room and sometimes hovered over her students making sure they were doing what they supposed to do. They were reading scrolls learning about the Olympian Gods and the religion. **

**Annie was reading about sacrifices to the Gods. She had a scroll which listed the names of the different Gods and Goddesses and what they could accomplish if being offered the right sacrifice. Annie quickly scanned the scroll looking for the Goddess Hestia. She read the text:**

"_**Visit the temple of the Virgin Goddess Hestia. Fo**__**r a sacrifice bring a living animal. Kill the animal with a clean knife which has never been used for anything prior to the kill. Put the sacrificed animal's body on the altar and say your prayers. The Goddess will answer."**_

**Annie was so busy reading that she didn't notice the old lady standing over her. She didn't notice she was there until she spoke and made her jump.**

"**What are you reading?" the old woman asked loud.**** "You aren't skipping parts about the divine Gods and Goddesses you don't like, are you?"**

**Annie was afraid to look up at the woman first. But she turned her head and met her stare anyway. **

**Gemma looked at Annie suspiciously. "****You're not one of those filthy girls who think they can pick and choose which Gods to obey and love, are you?" no answer. "ARE YOU?!"**

"**No, Ma'am." Annie hurried to answer. It was strange. When she was in school back home if something like this had happened - every kid would have been staring at the scene. But here, not a single one looked up from his or her scroll. "I'm just very interested in Hestia." it wasn't really a lie. "She's so…um… virtuous." She smiled. **

**Gemma seemed to buy that answer. She put a finger under Annie's chin and lifted her head so that they were face to face.**** "Alright. Just don't you neglect the other Gods, dear." then she continued on to Dasha next to her. **

**Annie relaxed again and took a deep breath.**** Gemma was scary when she wanted to be. She had cold, intense blue eyes and tiny pupils and when she stared at you it was like your blood turned to ice for a second. But at least now she knew how to get in touch with Hestia by herself. She wanted to talk to her. Convince her to use her powers to reunite her with Xena. After all, Hestia was the one who had said that Annie was supposed to be with Xena. There was a chance she'd help her out this time. Even if she wouldn't help her get home, she could at least help her be with Xena. **

**They spent three hours with one short break studying the Olympian Gods. It seemed to be some sort of theme for the week or something perhaps. Annie was starting to fear they would be studying the rest of the day. But when the three hours had passed Gemma broke for lunch. They were sent out on the yard to wash up by the well and then they were to go directly to the kitchen. **

**Annie washed her hands and noticed that most of the others had already gone inside the house by the time she was finished. She splashed some water on her face and headed the same way when Metaxas suddenly appeared at her side. He stopped her and pointed at the stables. **

"**What? ****Something wrong?" she asked. Metaxas just pointed at the stables again. "We have to hurry inside. We don't have time to go there now." Annie tried. But Metaxas insisted and grabbed her arm and led her over to the stables. Inside behind a bale of hay sat Dasha with swollen, red eyes. She had been crying but when she saw Metaxas and Annie she quickly wiped her face with her sleeve. "I told you not to get someone!" she said accusingly to Metaxas who shrugged. **

**Annie crawled in behind the bale and sat down next to Dasha who had stopped crying and just looked very sad. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" Annie asked. "Look I know you probably don't feel like talking to me of all people about what ever it is – but right now we're the only ones here. Or maybe you'd like us to go get your sister?"**

**Dasha sniffled. "No, that's okay. It's nothing you can do anything about anyway. And neither can she."**

"**Maybe I can."**

"**No, you can't. Gemma kept me in the classroom now after class. She accused me of worshipping other Gods but the Olympians." Dasha got up and sat down on the bale instead of behind it. Annie followed. "She said I seem bored in class like I don't love our Gods. And that she had heard me say a prayer to one of the Norse Gods the other night out in the yard."**

**Just hearing those accusations made Annie angry at the old woman. What right did she have to say those things to Dasha if they**** weren't even true.? "But that's ridicules!" she looked at Dasha who looked away. "Isn't it?" **

**Dasha continued. "Well, I don't exactly understand WHY I should love the Gods. ****They have never helped me out. Before our father died I prayed to Athena that she would keep him safe in battle. But she didn't. Then I prayed to Hestia when mother told us she might have to leave us here. I prayed she would make everything right so that we could be a family. But she didn't help." She started crying again. Annie put an arm around her shoulders and tried her best to console her. "I did pray to the Norse Gods like Gemma said. But only because I was desperate to get back to mother again. Now Gemma says she'll punish me." she cried.**

**Annie was furious with the old woman. "****Come on, she'll just give you some extra work or something right?" she asked nervously. Metaxas didn't look happy either. Obviously this woman's way of helping troublemakers and others to become better people was to make them worship the Gods in an almost extreme way.**

"**She might kick me out on the street. She doesn't get paid to keep all of us here. Our mother doesn't pay her. So she can do as she pleases with me and Theola. " she sniffled. **

"**No she's not going to kick you out.****" Annie assured her. "When we got here she spoke about helping bad kids become better people. She takes some sort of pride in that and she won't want people to know that she "failed" with you." She said and rolled her eyes. She had met teachers like that before and never liked them. "We'll wait and see what she does."**

**Metaxas and Annie exchanged worried glances. They knew they would also have to face up to what would happen to themselves now that they had been out here so long. **

**Dasha was still nervous but agreed to go with Annie and Metaxas to the kitchen. The three of them ran across the yard and into the kitchen as fast as they could. In there everyone was sitting quietly eating their lunch. They had entered through the kitchen door which led out into the yard. There was no sight of Gemma at first but they knew they could not avoid her forever. Suddenly she entered and stopped when she saw them.**

**Annie had thought she'd start screaming at them or somet****hing. That's what her mom had always done when she was late. But the old woman just pointed her finger at the three of them and then pointed at the door she had come in through. She stepped aside so they could pass her and then she followed them out and closed the door behind her.**

**Xena walked behind a hooded man up some stairs to the second floor in a dark building. All windows were kept closed which left the door very dusty and no light was let in. **

**A dark hallway followed and the hooded man stopped outside a room and knocked on the door. They could hear someone get up and walk to the door. The door was opened and a man peeked out. He had a beard and wasn't in his best years. It wasn't just that he **_**looked**_** old, he was old. But last time Xena had seen him he had been eight years younger. Now his age had caught up with him. **

"**What is it now?! ****I told you I wanted to sleep and wouldn't see anyone until tomorrow!" he snapped at the hooded one.**

"**Yes but this woman assured me you'd want to see her."**

**The old man took a step out the door and glared at Xena with squinting eyes. "****Oh my, oh my! If it isn't the Warrior Princess herself. It's been a while." he smiled and suddenly he didn't look so old anymore. "Please come in, come in. Don't stand around out there." he stepped back in again and allowed the warrior to enter. Suddenly the hooded man put up a hand and pointed at her weapons with a questioning look on his face. "Oh there is no need for that, Kyros. Xena is an old friend. She can keep her weapons. And besides…I believe she feels rather naked without them around." He snickered. Xena entered and he closed the door behind them. **

"**Here have a seat." he pulled up a chair for her to sit down at.**** "I'll take my usual place here by the fireplace. It's so perfectly close to everything I need. The fire, the window and my books." he smiled. "Would you care for something to eat, my dear?" **

**Xena wanted nothing more than to sit down and catch up with her old friend but there simply was no time for that. "Ptolemy, you know I have come here seeking information."**

**Ptolemy sighed and lowered his head. "Yes, I know. And you shall have it. But there is no harm in eating while I give it to you, is there?" he said.**

**Xena smiled at her friend. "No, I guess not. So what are you serving tonight, old friend?"**

**Soon the hooded man Ptolemy had called Kyros came in again carrying a tray filled with roast chicken and white bread and some wine. **

**Xena filled Ptolemy in on the situation with the Zolicans and Emarentia and the kids. "Ptolemy, I need your help."**

**Ptolemy took a big bite from his chicken and swallowed. ****"Yes, I know."**

"**I need you to tell me how to get to the Zolican brothers. The slave traders. "**

**Ptolemy put down his fork and knife. "Warrior Princess" he bagan. "I have helped you before many things. But this you ask of me now I cannot do. You ask me to betray one of my biggest associates. I have people working for me who also have families to feed." He said determinedly. **

**Xena leaned towa****rds him across the table between them. "You know your profession doesn't interest me. Nor do I like it. But this is important. More important than your associates unfortunately. "**

"**Are you going to tell me that I should do it for the girl? ****That I don't want her captivity on my consciousness? Then save your breath. I've heard it all before. "**

"**I wouldn't waste my breath on that. What I will do however – is appeal to your sense of family values. That I KNOW you value highly. You see I have a girl who's fifteen summers who needs me. She's going to be with me for quite some time it seems. She's waiting for me at a school and I'm terrified she believes I have abandoned her. I can't go get her until I have sorted this out and found the woman who is being held captive as you so nicely put it. So as long as she's missing that girl is miserable and without a family."**

**Ptolemy remained quiet a few minutes, just staring at Xena. She wasn****'t sure what he was thinking. But suddenly he burst into laughter. He laughed and laughed. "Oh Xena! You certainly know how to handle me don't you, my dear one? Alright. I will tell you. But try to keep it a secret where the information came from. I will tell you because you know I can't stand to hear of an unhappy child when it can be helped. And because I know you can keep it to yourself where you got this information. Not many others could."**

**The old man took the warrior's hand**** and smiled at her, revealing the few teeth he had left in his mouth. **

**After she had gotten the information she needed Xena stayed some additional time. They now discussed the old times and had some laughs while thinking back in time to the many crazy things they had done while not being completely sober. When Xena left she shook the hand of her old friend and said goodbye. Given his age it wasn't likely she'd ever see him again. **

**Annie, Metaxas and Dasha followed Gemma into a small room next to the kitchen. Annie shut the door behind them. This room reminded her of the headmaster's office where she had been sent many times back home. It even had a desk which belonged to Gemma. But there was also a bed in the room so Annie guessed this was where the old lady slept as well. So this was more than an office to her it was obviously **_**her**_** place.**

**Gemma sat down behind a desk**** and crossed her arms over her chest. "The three of you were very late for lunch. That is not allowed in my school. Tardiness that is."**

**Annie had been through this sort of thing before. Metaxas was as calm as always.**** But Dasha seemed terrified they both noticed. She was shaking right beside them.**

"**Why were you late?" she asked.**** She glared at them with ice cold stare but no one answered her at first. "Answer me right now!" she yelled. **

**Well, Metaxas wasn't going to answer Gemma Annie figured. And she knew it. And Dasha couldn't be expected to right now either so that left her.**** As usual. She sighed.**

"**Well, people should help their friends. And Dasha was upset and so me and Metaxas stayed with her and talked a while so she'd feel better.****" Annie tried to excuse them.**

**The old woman frowned. " That IS NO excuse!**** I'm sending the three of you to the sleeping hall without lunch. You'll stay there until everyone else have finished eating. Afterwards you'll get more chores to do than your regular ones. And I want them all finished by nightfall. And of course you'll attend the afternoon class as well." She declared. **

_**Sleeping hall**_

**Annie lay on her bed resting with her eyes closed. Metaxas had the bed next to her and Dasha had borrowed the next to his which didn't really belong to her.**** They weren't tired of course so no one was asleep. They were just angry but at the same time felt relief that Gemma hadn't made up some worse punishment for them. Some extra chores and no lunch they could survive. They were all really hungry. But they would get through the day. **

**Annie opened her eyes and realized something more than she had before. "****I miss Xena and Gabrielle." She said out loud. Metaxas turned his head and looked at her with sympathy. "I suppose you miss Toris?" she asked and he nodded. "When do you think they'll be back for us?" she asked and the boy shrugged. **

**Now that they had the time Annie asked Dasha what things were really like at the school. Were everyone supposed to worship the Olympian Gods? What was Gemma like? What were the spoken rules?**

**Dasha answered as well as she could. "****Yes, she makes everyone swear that they worship the Olympian Gods. ALL the Gods. It's very important that you say prayers when you're supposed to and even more if you have time over." She explained. The girl had calmed down now and had stopped crying and was back to herself again. And she didn't mind answering the questions. "Gemma isn't what she seems at first when you arrive here. She's really strict and wants everyone to obey her rules. ****If you don't you'll be punished."**

**She sighed. "It's very important that you do all the reading you're supposed to do it you don't want her to explode in your face." she told them with a serious expression.**** "The rules she has told us are that you get up in the morning immediately and go for breakfast. You keep quiet in class. Eat your meals in silence. Go to bed when told. And we're not allowed to leave the school grounds and go into the city of course. Those are her rules." Dasha finished.**

"**Okay, good." Annie answered. Metaxas looked puzzled as if he didn't understand why Annie thought it was good to know all this. He didn't like the rules. And of course Annie didn't like them either or the way the kids were treated. But knowing the rules made it easier to follow them and not accidentally do a slip and have to feel the wrath of the old woman. **

**Sleeping hall in the evening **

**Annie yawned. She and Dasha and Metaxas had worked all day without any break. And when they hadn't been working they had been studying the Olympian Gods in class. They now entered the sleeping hall ready for some nice rest in their beds.**

**Annie turned to Metaxas "You know I'm starting to feel this whole worship the Gods deal is just the most ridiculous thing I've ever had to do. Xena doesn't expect me to do it and she is my mentor and responsible for me. At least she will be again when she comes to get me." She said in an angry tone. **

**A little boy who was getting into his own bed by the window close to where they were standing gasped as he heard the words of the strange, new girl. "You're not supposed to talk like that. Gemma will be very mad if she hears you." he said and then quickly turned away again to avoid confrontation. Annie rolled her eyes at that.**

"**Yeah, yeah, yeah. ****I'm too tired to even care right now." She got into bed and pulled the blankets over her head. **

**At least all the studying of the Gods had done something good. She now knew what she'd have to do to get Hestia's attention. A plan had already started to take form in her head. ****She had to make a sacrifice. And soon. **

To be continued


	22. Little thief

**Title: Someone please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess", I'm just borrowing them for the story.**

* * *

Xena entered the room at the inn. She had walked the way back and thought about Annie back at the school. If they could only find Emarentia and clear this matter up soon so she could go get the girl. She felt guilty about leaving her but didn't allow the guilt to take over. They had to finish the mission before she could get her. It was pretty quiet without her though. Sure Gabrielle could talk, but Annie talked even more and that was saying a lot. But Xena didn't mind.

Gabrielle sat up on her cot and looked at Xena with hope. The warrior smiled at her friend. "How did it go? Did you find out anything? Are you alright?"

"Fine, yes and yes." Xena answered and the bard rolled her eyes at her friend.

"So? Do you know where she is? Has she been sold as a slave yet? And to whom? Gabrielle continued to attack the warrior with her questions.

"Where is Toris?

"Hey, I asked you first. You answer my questions and I will answer yours." The bard scolded.

"Yes, I know where she is now. She has been sold into slavery. But unfortunately not here in Rome. She was put on a ship with other prisoners and sent to North Africa."

Gabrielle just sat there, mouth open. She didn't know what to say except; "He's just left for a walk to clear his head. Hurry and you'll catch him."

Xena was headed for the door again when Gabrielle stood and called. "Xena?" The warrior turned and looked at her friend. "What's going to happen now?"

Xena had already thought about that on the way back. It hadn't taken her long to decide.

"Prepare yourself to leave for North Africa."

The Bard nodded.

Metaxas and Annie sat in class and were both busy learning the legend of Aphrodite. How she was born, which Gods she was related to and they were watching drawings of her many faces. Annie was bored to death and she was having a difficult time not showing it. The classes were really long and the breaks few and short. "This almost makes me miss school back home. "She whispered to Metaxas and they both giggled. She had told him of her life back home and explained as well as she could every little detail she knew about why she had been sent to their time. She thought it was kind of fascinating that his inability to speak didn't matter at all to her. He was just as good a friend as any she had had. Probably even better. He could communicate with his eyes amazingly instead of with his mouth.

Six days had passed since Xena, Toris and Gabrielle had left. Annie had decided that she really hated school. She hated it even more than she had back home. How could it be possible that some kids transferred to other schools and found the new one was much better. Perhaps because they managed to become popular or found friends who liked them. But when Annie found herself in a school as far away possible for anyone to transfer to – she only disliked it more. She did her best to stay out of trouble but it wasn't easy. Gemma's rules affected everyone and the old lady could decide just like that that a kid didn't obey the Olympian Gods or accuse him or her for worshipping other Gods. Annie had called her paranoid out loud but only in the sleeping hall with kids around, never to her face. She had had tough teachers before but this old lady was the worse. She just wasn't a kind person. Annie had seen her haul a little boy of seven summers to his feet and slap him across the face just for sneezing when she was teaching about Zeus. She also had it in for poor Dasha. After being so scared last time she had gotten into trouble she had stayed out of trouble. But Gemma had been sure she had heard the girl at night praying to the Norse Gods again. So she had punished her by making her spend the night outside in the cold under the moon. When she entered the house the next morning for breakfast she was shaking and had gotten a cold. She had also been visited by a rat that had bit her in the leg. But none of this bothered the old lady because according to her she deserved it.

Gemma had told them that today they would only study. They wouldn't have to do any chores because today was dedicated to learning as much as they possibly could about the Gods. And the reason was that tomorrow a priest of Apollo would come and preach about his God and the gifts he brings to mankind.

Xena hurried down the streets of Rome trying to find her brother. She spotted him on the other side of a giant market square so she crossed it with big strides.

"Toris!"

Her brother turned. "Oh you're back. Please tell me you found out something useful?" he had hope in his eyes. Xena wasn't sure if he'd see the news as good or bad.

* * *

_**Back at the tavern room**_

Gabrielle had packed up all their things and Xena and Toris had gotten the supplies they needed for the journey.

"Xena, you know I'm all for saving Emarentia. And I disapprove of slavery more than anyone. But a ship? Why do we have to get on a ship again?" Gabrielle asked in distress.

Xena gave her friend a warm smile. "It'll be fine."

Gabrielle sighed. She could feel her stomach turning already. "Yeah sure it will." She said with sarcasm.

They brought one bag with some food for the journey, blankets to sleep under and then one small bag each with stuff they wanted to bring. Gabrielle brought a scroll to write down the story they were living this time. Toris packed his bag with an extra knife and an old necklace which belonged to Emarentia that she had given to him. Xena brought herbs and medicine.

"There is a ship in the harbour set to sail tomorrow afternoon. And we're going to be on it." said Toris.

Xena put her bag down on the bed and walked over to him. "I don't know what it's going to be like when we get there. But tracking her won't e that difficult. I've been there before and if she's still alive we'll find her."

Toris looked a little shocked at that comment "What do you mean IF she's still alive? Of course she is." He didn't wait for an answer but just left the room and slammed the door.

Gabrielle looked up at Xena and offered her a comforting smile. She then sat down on her cot. "Well, I'm going to get some sleep. I won't be getting a lot of it the coming nights."

* * *

Annie kept very still. She was in her bed with her eyes closed pretending to sleep. Now was the time to do what she had been planning for days – to go to the statue of Hestia and pray. There was no temple around dedicated to her but there was a statue where people went if they wanted to pray to her or sacrifice something in her name.

Annie had stayed awake extra long the nights before so she'd know Gemma's routines. The old lady would have something to eat first after the kids had gone to bed. Annie had heard the door between the kitchen and the corridor slam. After that she'd check on them and she had often walked by Annie who had pretended to be asleep just like now. Then she'd go to bed too.

She had done all those things now. Annie got out of bed and got dressed again. She sneaked out the door and headed for the kitchen. The dangerous thing would be getting passed Gemma's room without waking the old lady up when exiting the school. She had to go out through the kitchen door close to her room because the main entrance was locked. She tiptoed passed the room and opened the door to the kitchen as slowly and quietly as she could. Then she hurried into the room and over to the door. She did the same again and managed to avoid all squeaking sounds doors sometimes made.

The cool night air touched her skin and she wished she had put on something more but just her tunic and pants. She had been so nervous that she had forgotten to put on her boots.

"Well, never mind that now." She said and ran across the yard barefoot. She knew the statue dedicated to Hestia was somewhere in Rome pretty close to the school and she was going to find it. She had asked around and a boy raised in Rome had told her it was only a few blocks from the school. She had all night to find it because Gemma never checked on the kids during the night.

Annie ran out into the open street where men and women on horses passed and people seemed to be in a hurry even though it was night. As she ran into the street she was almost run over by a horse but someone pulled her back at the very last moment. She felt whoever it was let go and she turned. It was a Roman soldier. "You watch where you're going, girl. Didn't your mother ever teach you to look in both directions before crossing the street?" he asked and ruffled her hair before he left her standing there. She made a promise to herself to try to remember that in the future.

She took off running down the street as fast as she could. People hardly noticed the barefooted girl running past them. She continued down the street and then took off to the right. She stopped by a wall of stone and looked around. She tilted her head up towards the sky and smiled. There it was. She could see the statue's head just above the wall. Now she knew where to find it. So all she had to do now was find something to sacrifice. According to the text written in the scroll it was supposed to be an animal, and she would have to kill it. She headed towards the market place in hope to find someone who could give her a goat or another animal to sacrifice. She didn't like the idea of having to kill it but she would have to force herself.

In the market place nothing was open. That meant no animals. Annie was beginning to feel panic rising inside her. She had to do this now when she had the chance so she could get back to the school and get back into bed before morning. She turned her head to the right and spotted a little house with a small backyard. "I hear goats if I'm not mistaken" she said out loud.

Some time later she was standing by the altar again, with the goat in front of her. She pulled out the kitchen knife she had brought and readied herself to do what she knew she had to. She brought the knife to the goat's throat but just when she was about to kill it she was surprised to have someone grab her arm. She dropped the knife and spun around. She stared into the eyes of the same Roman soldier who had pulled her out of the street earlier.

She glanced down and noticed that he hadn't let go of her arm. It was starting to hurt a little so se tried to yank her arm out of his grasp but she couldn't. He was too strong.

"Hello again." He said and grinned. Earlier she had thought he looked nice but now to her he looked pure evil for some reason. "You do know stealing is against Caesar's rules, don't you? And this goat doesn't belong to you."

Annie stopped struggling and simply stared at him feeling a little stupid. "You followed me?" she asked and he nodded not losing the smile on his face or the grip on her arm. "Why? And let go of me!" she yelled.

The man laughed at her and instead of obeying her he grabbed her other arm too. "I knew you were from Gemma's school when I saw you. Remember, I saw you run out on the street leaving the school building behind you."

He started walking away fom the altar with Annie desperately trying to get away from him. She was really scared now. "Nooo! Don't!" she screamed. "Somebody help me, please!" she was scared because she didn't know who he was or where he was taking her. He could just as well be planning to kill her.

The man stopped and looked down on his little captive. Suddenly the smile was gone and there was instead something mad in his eyes. Annie continued to scream for help anyway. This seemed to make the man angrier. He stopped walking and he raised his hand and slapped her across the face twice really hard. She fell to the ground. As she lay there and felt her head spinning she thought of how good it would feel to just be in a bedroll next to Xena and Gabrielle right now on the road. It would be nice to feel safe and protected and she wondered if she would ever get to feel that again.

Suddenly she was hauled to her feet once again and blinded by tears lead back out into the street. She wanted to cry out for help but didn't. Something told her it was no use and that nobody here would care. She had given up and didn't care where she was being taken. At least she didn't think she cared until she saw where they were headed. Back to the school! She wiped away the tears and dug her heels into the dirt to try to keep from moving closer to their destination. The soldier felt what she was doing but just continued walking. She couldn't stop him. "Don't try to postpone the inevitable, little one." He laughed and gave her a pat on the head. "This is what I do for a living. Well, not the only thing because then I would have no dinars most of the time. But you obviously ran away from the school where you belong, and I'm doing my job as a servant of Rome. I'm taking you back."

They entered the yard and walked past the well and up to the front door. He knocked on the door and soon footsteps were heard from the inside. Annie wished someone would just come down from the dark sky and grab her and fly her out of there. But the only thing she could think of to make her feel a little better was to close her eyes and keep them closed. Perhaps Gemma wouldn't be able to see her. Of course she didn't believe that but still…

Annie decided against the idea though. The old lady opened the door. Annie had thought she would look surprised to see the soldier but she didn't. She was standing there in her white nightgown wearing her usual strict and determined face.

"Good evening, Gregg." She greeted him politely and solemnly. "I see you have something that belongs to me. Thank you for bringing her back."

"Yes, well it wasn't the easiest child to handle I'll tell ya, ma'am. I hope you'll teach her some manners soon. "

Gemma glared at Annie who turned her head away not wanting to look at her. "Oh Don't you worry about that."

Gregg let go of Annie and pushed her forward right into Gemma who wasn't any gentler with her than he had been. After being slapped across her face again but by the old lady this time – Annie was instructed to go wait in the kitchen. She did and as soon as she entered she ran right over to the kitchen door to see if it was open, as it had been when she had exited. But to her big dismay it was locked. Now she was really trapped.

She heard Gemma talking to Gregg a few more minutes and then the door closed behind them both as they went out into the yard. Annie wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to wake up Metaxas and get out of there as fast as possible. But that could get him into trouble too if they didn't make it out of the school and were caught again. So instead she crawled into the darkest corner she could find in the kitchen and tried to hide there. She hugged her knees and shut her eyes wishing somebody would come for her.

**To be continued**


	23. Run!

**Message from the author: Thanks for all your kind reviews on this story. And I apologize for taking so long to write the next chapter. I'm moving this month to study so I've had a lot to arrange before I go. But hopefully I will be able to write more often now. **

**Title: Someone please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess". I'm just borrowing them for the story.**

* * *

**_The next morning_**

**The children were all gathered for class. But this time the one teaching was the head priest of the temple of Apollo in Rome. They were all sitting on the floor and Gemma was standing behind them making sure no one spoke a word. **

**Annie watched the faces of the kids in the room with her. She could see they were trying to appear as if they were listening intensely to the priest. Because they were afraid of what Gemma would do to them if they didn't. The older ones could play interested and inspired better than the little ones. She felt sorry especially for them. They were constantly losing interest in listening to the old priest and looked away at the window or the paintings on the walls allowing themselves to get lost in imagination. But as soon as they did the old lady would step forward and smack them in the back of their heads to get them to pat attention.**

**They had been sitting there for hours now. On her right side Annie had little Thea sitting beside her. She had been watching her closely for a few minutes now because the little girl had received several smacks from Gemma during the past hour for talking. And Annie knew Thea often had trouble staying awake during class if it went on too long. As soon as Annie noticed Thea was drifting off to sleep she would touch her hand discreetly to wake her up. So far Gemma hadn't noticed anything, but it was just a matter of time. **

**There was how ever no risk that Annie herself would fall asleep. She felt the stinging on her back now more than ever while sitting still. She had welts covering her back. Gemma had been even angrier than she had thought the night before. She had dragged Annie out into the yard and used a whip on her back. Annie had received ten lashes for running away. It was the worse pain she had ever felt in her whole life. Even worse than the time she had broke her arm falling from a tree when she was ten years old. She was careful not to lean against anything.**

**Earlier that morning before the priest arrived Gemma had informed the other children what would happen to them if they even thought of running away. She had showed them Annie's back and made an example out of her. Annie had kept eye contact with Metaxas the entire time while standing up there in front of everyone. His gaze was supportive and understanding. At breakfast he had held her hand the entire time.**

**The priest went on and on about the all powerful Apollo. How he was a God of music and that he had taught Orpheus to play the lyre****. Sure this was all new to Annie but it didn't interest her very much. She doubted Xena would insist learning about the Gods was the most important thing in her life. **

**Thea began to relax and drift off to sleep again and Annie hurried to touch her hand. Only this time it didn't work. The girl didn't wake up. Annie did it again and again. Then she leaned to the right and whispered as quietly as possible. "Thea, wake up. Wake up NOW." The girl's eyes shot open and she awoke with a jerk.**

"**Apollo is here!" she yelled out loud enough for everyone, including the priest to hear. Annie who knew the girl had been sleeping also knew she had been dreaming and yelled out because of the dream. She turned around slowly and looked at Gemma who looked furious. The old lady stormed over to where they were sitting on the floor and towered over them. She bent down and grabbed Thea's hair and pulled her to her feet. **

**The**** priest seemed mostly surprised and said nothing. But Gemma spoke enough for him too. "Do you think you have a right to speak the name of the great God Apollo in front of a high priest?! Do you?! What makes you think you have the right to interrupt a lesson, this lesson?! You have a vivid imagination, Thea and I think you just used it for the last time, do you hear me?!" she yelled. The little girl stared with eyes big as saucers at Gemma and tears started streaming from her eyes while she slowly shook her head no. She was terrified.**

"**I've warned you for the last time! This was the last time you will EVER fall asleep during a class!" the old woman yelled. **

**She raised her hand to hit the girl who closed her eyes and managed to whimper "No, please don't hurt me!"**

**Annie's memories were so fresh of the night before. And the pain the old lady had caused her was still so sharp. Without thinking she got up and kicked Gemma in the stomach as hard as she could. The old lady let go of Thea and doubled over, coughing.**

**Annie was so surprised of her own actions that she just stood there staring. But then Metaxas got up from where he was sitting and ran over to her. He grabbed her arm and pointed at the door and motioned for her to run. Annie understood what he meant and they both took off running while Gemma was still recovering from Annie's kick. One very confused priest of Apollo was left standing with his arms at his sides staring at the scene before him. **

**Annie and Metaxas exited the school building and ran out into the street and away from the school and kept running until they could no longer see it. They climbed over a wall and jumped down from it, then continued running. After some time they were no longer sure where they were. Their only concern was to put as much distance between themselves and the school as possible. But now they stopped to catch their breath.**

"**Someone will come after us soon. ****I know it." Annie said and sat down on the ground. She leaned back against a wall and flinched as she was reminded of the welts on her back. Metaxas looked at her sympathetically. He gestured for her to lean on him instead which was a little softer. They sat like that a few minutes in silence. **

"**What are we gonna do?" ****Annie asked. "We can't go back there now. I don't know what she'll do to me for kicking her. And you'll be punished too for running away. And we already know the price for that." **

**Metaxas nodded. He didn't seem to be considering going back either. Suddenly Annie got to her feet and spun around facing him still sitting. "There is only one thing to do. We have to find Xena. And the others too of course. If they had known what it would be like for us at the school they wouldn't have left us there, I'm positive." She said. At first Metaxas looked skeptic. "Oh come on. Deep down inside you know they wouldn't. You're only doubting them because you're angry." Metaxas had to agree that sounded right. **

"**Come on, let****'s start looking for them."**

* * *

**The inn**

**The three companions were ready to leave. It wouldn't be long until the ship would set sail and head for North Africa. It was only a couple of hours left and they were all seated downstairs having some late breakfast.**

**Gabrielle was trying to lighten the tension around the table. "Well, at least it'll be interesting to see North Africa. I know I never have." She smiled but got nothing in return from Toris and Xena.**

**The warrior looked up from her plate for the first time since they started eating. "I can't go without seeing her first." She said and sighed. "This is going to take longer than anticipated since we have to take a ship. I need to go see Annie and explain to her why it's going to take us a little longer to come back for them. She trusts me. I'd be letting her down if I didn't tell her."**

**Gabrielle nodded. She knew her friend felt terribly guilty about leaving Annie and especially now that they had to travel away from the city to accomplish what they had come there to do. Toris also understood. But he was also a little worried.**

"**Then we have to leave right now. So we won't risk the ship leaving without us."**

**They all agreed and got up. They grabbed their bags and left the building and headed for the school. It wasn't a very long walk there but Xena dreaded seeing Annie and seeing the look on her face when she told her she'd have to stay longer. **

"**Gabrielle?"**

"**Yes."**

"**Do you think I did the right thing leaving**** her at the school?" she asked not slowing down the pace.**

**Gabrielle was surprised that the warrior asked her such a question. Xena didn't usually let people know when she had doubts.**** "You did what you had to do to protect her, Xena. That's what you said and I believe that was the right thing to do. Her safety has to come first." she smiled at her friend hoping what she had said had helped her. "I know you're worried over what her reaction to this delay is going to be. But let's just talk to her before you assume what she'll say and do. It might work out just fine."**

**The warrior felt a little better hearing that. Of course she had thought the same thing – but it was different wh****en she got to actually hear it spoken to her.**

**They arrived at the school and crossed the yard. "Strange." Xena frowned.**

"**What?" asked Toris.**

"**That there are no kids in sight. I mean this is a school.**** Don't they ever get breaks?"**

**They knocked on the door and stood there and waited.**** But no one came and answered it. Finally not wanting to wait any longer Xena opened the door and motioned for the others to go on inside. Then she followed and closed the door behind them. Once inside they could hear a voice coming from the classroom down the hall. They followed the voice and pushed the door to the room open and quietly slipped in. There was a priest standing preaching something. It didn't take long before he mentioned the great God Apollo's name and the three of them understood that he was a priest of Apollo. **

**Xena gl****anced around the room ****suspiciously****. She couldn't see Annie. There was no sight of the girl or Metaxas. Toris was obviously scanning the room looking for them as well and he had the same look on his face. The lady Gemma was standing in the back listening intensely to the priest. The children on the floor were as quiet as mice even though they looked tired and bored. **

**The priest spotted them in the back of the room behind the kids and stopped talking. He smiled at them. Welcome, friends. I'm glad to see others have come to hear me speak. Even though this session was mostly meant for the children of this school – you are still very welcome of course." He bowed his head a little.**

**Xena bowed her head back to show respect. This man seemed polite and respectful towards people. Xena wasn't always greeted this nicely by people who devoted their lives to the Gods. "We mean no disrespect to you. But we didn't come here to listen to you speak about Apollo." She turned to Gemma who looked stoic and indifferent as usual. "I've come to see the girl I left in your care." The warrior almost growled. "Where is she?"**

**Gemma gazed at the three companions standing in the classroom by the door. "You should not interrupt so****mething this important to the children's' education because of something that frivolous." She just said and crossed her arms over her chest. "The girl is just fine. Now leave us." she insisted.**

**Gabrielle almost smiled at the s****cene. As if Xena would ever leave now. **

"**Excuse me, ****ma'am." Xena said while narrowing her eyes and with no smile at all. "But I want to see the girl I left here. And I mean right NOW. " By now all the children had taken their eyes off the priest and turned to look at the warrior and her friends. **

**Gemma now stood in front of Xena looking very determined. "You have no right to tell me what to do. You just come in here without making an appointment to see the girl or me and you expect me to just go get her. I don't think so, young woman."**

**Xena couldn't believe what she was hearing. The old lady was actually standing there lecturing her on manners. "Listen now…" she started.**

"**No you listen to me! I want you out of this building before I count to three! One…"**

**Xena rolled her eyes. This was unbelievable. ****She was using the same methods on her as the children. "Two, three." Xena finished for her. "I'm still here. And that tactic only works on ten year olds, sorry. You obviously think you own these children as soon as they're left here. But let me assure you that is not the case this time. And if you don't lead me to where Annie is right now then I will turn this place upside down looking for her."**

**Gabrielle and Toris glanced at each other and Toris couldn't hide the grin that spread across his face while listening to his little sister talk. Of course he cared about seeing the kids too. But he felt it was best to let Xena have this one. Especially since Gemma had just made her so angry. **

**Gemma looked a little surprised at first when the warrior was done talking back to her. Deciding it wasn't worth a place totally wrecked she gave in. "She's not here ." she said calmly.**

**Xena's eyes narrowed and she fixed her stare on the lady. Gabrielle wouldn't have wanted to be her at the moment.**** Xena looked really dangerous. It wasn't that often anymore that she put on that face. She had done it more often when they had first met. **

**The warrior raised a brow "Not here huh? Well, then where is she?" she asked and took a step closer to Gemma. **

"**That girl you left here is nothing but trouble. She hasn't done well in my class or with her studying. She also needs to improve her manners." she said and looked straight at the warrior without any fear. "And now I see where she gets it from." **

**For a moment there the Bard thought Xena would hurt the old lady. She could see the anger in her eyes almost colouring them red.**** "Xena…" she started.**

**The warrior spun around ****"Stay out of this, Gabrielle. I'm fine" she assured her friend. And then turned back to Gemma. "Now you WILL listen to me. I don't care what you think of me. But I'd better not find out that you hurt Annie in any kind of way or you will pay for that one way or another. Now WHERE is she?"**

"**She ran away with that boy."**

"**What boy? Metaxas? ****The boy we brought here?"**

"**Yes, of course. Those two are inseparable. I tried teaching Annie to spend time with other girls and Metaxas with other boys but it was impossible. They are both hopeless and sinful children who don't respect the Gods."**

**Xena once again narrowed her eyes and fixed her stare on Gemma. Of course she wouldn't hurt her, after all she was just an old lady. But that didn't mean she didn't have the urge to at the moment. **

"**What is all this about the Gods? Toris asked.**

"**We teach the children everything about the Gods here at this school. They will worship them and love them. When they are grown ups they will devote their lives to them." Gemma explained. **

**Xena had heard enough. She grabbed a hold of the old lady's tunic and brought her a little closer to her face, but carefully. "Why didn't you mention this to me when we came here with the children?" she asked and waited for an answer. But then she sighed and let her go. "Never mind. I want to know which way they headed."**

**When Gemma didn't an****swer Xena turned to the priest who shrugged and pointed in the direction they had headed. **

"**Thanks. And if you don't mind I'll borrow one of the kids in here for a minute?"**

**The priest simply nodded. "Certainly."**

**Theola got up from the floor before X****ena had had a chance to choose anyone. "I'd like to go, Ma'am." She said and glared at Gemma defiantly. **

"**Alright. I'll bring her right back."**

**Xena, Gabrielle and Toris exited the room with Theola, leaving all the kids and the priest at a loss for words.**

**To be continued**


	24. Lost and found

**Title: Someone please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: Id don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior princess".**

**Once outside in the schoolyard Theola turned directly to Xena. "Are you Xena?"**

"**Yes. Did Annie speak of me?" the warrior asked. Gabrielle thought there was actually a glimpse of hope and wish in the warrior's eyes as she spoke. **

"**Yes, she did." s****he looked at the other two strangers. "Then you must be Toris and Gabrielle. She spoke of you of course. I'm Theola. I'm a friend of Annie and Metaxa's. I have some information I thought you might like to have." She admitted. "Though I don't think it's going to be good for my health in any way to tell you. But I choose to ignore that." She said and kept her chin up. She seemed determined. As if she was jumping at an opportunity she had longed for.**

"**Do you know why Annie and Metaxas ran away, Theola?" Toris asked. He was also angry that they had been fooled by Gemma. Or that they had allowed themselves to be fooled. "There must be a reason."**

**Theola nodded. ****"Yes. They had good reason to do what they did."**

**For the next ten minutes Xena, Toris and Gabrielle listened to the girl telling them about her time at the school. She also told them everything she knew about what it had been like for Annie and Metaxas, including the incident the night before between Annie and Gemma. **

**While they listened Gabrielle watched Xena's expression go from annoyed and confused to furious. She knew it was time to say something to get them all to leave before her friend did something she would later regret. "I think that now that we know the truth" she turned to Theola and smiled at her. "Thanks to our new friend here – We should go find Annie and Metaxas as soon as possible. They could find themselves in danger in this city and we have no idea where they are."**

**Xena just stood there staring off into space. The bard touched her arm "Xena? We should go. We can come back later and sort everything out." She suggested. After a while the warrior finally moved and they said goodbye to Theola who entered the building again with slow, dreading steps.**

**Suddenly Xena stopped and turned and started walking back towards the school. The bard turned also and started moving to stop her friend but Toris stopped her instead. "Just wait. I don't think we have to worry." he said. Gabrielle looked at him. He seemed to be sure of what he believed in this matter and she decided to trust him. After all he was Xena's older brother and had known her a long time.**

**After a little while Xena returned to them and they all walked out of the schoolyard and in the direction the priest had pointed. **

**They walked in silence and now and then Gabrielle glanced at her friend who noticed it every time, which the bard found very annoying. "Alright I give up! I'll just ask you instead if you're in the mood of playing secretive with me." The bard complained loudly so that people on the street who they passed actually turned their wondering gazes towards them.**

**Xena raised a brow. "Ask me what?"**

"**You know what!" Gabrielle insisted. When she didn't get an answer she gave up and just spat it out. "What did you do when you went back into the school?!"**

**At first Xena was quiet. But Gabrielle knew she would eventually answer her so she was patient. "I figured Theola might need some help in there after helping us out so much. And I spoke to Gemma and assured her that I would be back as soon as we've found our kids and when we return I'd better hear from the kids till at the school that things have improved a lot for them there. Or the school will be permanently closed."**

"**So what did you do for Theola?" Gabrielle asked curious as usual. **

"**I told Gemma that I would ask Theola when I return how she was treated after being so helpful and understanding toward us. And that the answer had better be positive or she would pay for it dearly." She said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. **

**Gabrielle wasn't surprised at hearing this. She was happy that Toris had been right about Xena's intentions in there. Personally she had thought the warrior was ready to do some damage. At least to the place. Then again perhaps that was her plan, only it would be executed later when returning. Right now Annie and Metaxas had to be their prime concern. And they were. **

**Xena, Toris and Gabrielle had been searching for their ****little charges for hours. They had started in the direction the kids had headed according to the priest. But it had proved to be difficult to follow their trace. Even Gabrielle was starting to loose faith that they would find them. **

**They had split up several times and searched areas and then met up with each other again. But they hadn't found them. Now the ship was ready to leave soon and at least one of them needed to be on it. **

"**Well, at least we know where Emarentia is and what or next step is." Xena said. "Now all we have to do is get there."**

**Toris sighed and looked at his sister. "It's very important for me to find her." He admitted "But of course I know that we can't get on that ship until we've found Metaxas and Annie. So it's just gonna have to wait."**

**The bard looked to her friend an the warrior just shook her head. "You know, you're right Toris. We can't ALL leave for North Africa until we've found them. But one or two of us can get on that ship. It's a thought I've had in my mind the past hour now that I think we're going to have to act on."**

**Gabrielle knew what she was getting at and she agreed. She wasn't crazy about leaving her friend and going with Toris but she could see that would be their smartest action right now. Eventually Xena would find Annie and Metaxas. There didn't have to be two of them looking. But Toris on the other hand might need some help in North Africa.**

"**You still have some time to get to the ship. I will continue searching here and I WILL find them. Just not sure how long it will take me."**

**At first Toris hesitated but then he too saw it was for the best. "All right that sounds reasonable. What will you do when you find them? You can't take them back to the school."**

"**I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Right now you two need to get going. I will see you soon."**

**Gabrielle threw herself at her friend and hugged her. "Make sure you find them."**

**Xena had covered most of the city by now and it was getting dark. She decided to start back at the inn again and cover the more central parts of the city once again. It seemed more likely they would be where the crowd was. She had visited every inn and asked if anyone had seen two kids about fifteen years old. But no one had. Xena was starting to get really worried. **

**Once outside the inn she decided to make a quick stop inside and grab something to eat that she could bring with her while searching. She hadn't eaten anything since early in the day and figured it would be necessary in case she'd have to keep up the search all night.**

**She entered and walked straight over to the bar. The girl working behind the bar saw her and came over . Xena was surprised because usually it would take ages until someone took an order in places like these.**

"**Excuse me, could I get some apple-pie, please. If you have it."**

"**Certainly. It'll take me a few minutes."**

**Xena nodded at the girl and sat down. It felt nice to get off her feet for a while. It took longer than she had hoped though. The girl returned but without the pie and started taking other peoples' orders and when she had collected a few more she started preparing everyone's meals at the same time.**

**Xena stood by the bar waiting. The girl saw her and came over again. "Why don't you sit down while you wait, ma'am. " she glanced around the room and noticed every table was occupied. "You can share the table with those two kids there." She assured her and then turned and got back to her cooking, Xena figured it wouldn't matter to her and started over to where the girl had pointed. However when she had gotten half way there she stopped and stared at the two sitting at the table. It was Annie and Metaxas. **

**When Xena stood there staring at them Annie turned too and saw her. **

"**Xena!!" she yelled and as quick as that she was ****on her feet and ran over to her and fell into her arms. They stood there for a while and just absorbed the feeling of having found one another again finally. Xena let go of Annie and held her at arms length to look at her. She was so relieved to see her again that it took her a little while to notice the smell of alcohol and the small giggles the girl kept making. She looked over at Metaxas and he had a tired look in his eyes.**

**Annie didn't look tired though. She jumped up and down and shouted so that people in the room turned to stare at them. "How did you find us?!" she yelled.**

**Xena put a hand on the girl's shoulder to keep her in place. "Stop that right now." She hissed through clenched teeth. "You are at the inn we choose to get a room in." she answered. **

**Annie looked as if she really hard to work hard to remember and then her face lit up. "Yeees, right. I remember now." she giggled. "We asked around for you and were told to go here. And here you are!!" **

**The warrior wasn't sure what to do. It was clear the kids had both been drinking. She didn't think that was a good thing at all. But she realized that she couldn't scold them about it either. She didn't know what kind of rules Toris had told Metaxas he had to follow. If he had even told him he had follow any at all. And she knew she hadn't talked to Annie about such things either, simply since she had never showed any interest in drinking before. It was clear she would have to now though.**

**To be continued**


	25. Second talk

**Title: Someone please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess"**

**Message from the author: I once again apologize for taking so long to write the next chapter. This term has been the most hectic one in my life so far so I have unfortunately not had any time to write. But I'm trying to make up for lost time now.**

**Merry Christmas to you all!**

**/VictoriaBard**

**Annie had never thought it would be possible to feel this bad. She had never been drunk before. Several of her friends had been drunk at parties but she away declined if they offered her anything. But last night both she and Metaxas had thought it would be a good idea, for some reason, to try it. They had asked around for Xena and were directed to the inn where she had been spotted. There they had sat down and ordered one ale. And then another and another until they had had way too many. Suddenly talking to strangers had felt great. Annie didn't have anything to be ashamed of. And most people seemed to think she was good company and laughed at her antics. Metaxas had just smiled and once lost his balance and fallen off his stool now and then. **

**She had been awake now for at least ten minutes but without opening her eyes. She knew she wasn't alone in the room and wanted to avoid the awkward confrontation.**

"**I know you're not asleep, Annie. You mi****ght as well open your eyes." She heard a familiar voice.**

**Annie opened her eyes and s****lowly got used to the light. She gazed around the room and could see that it wasn't morning. It was midday. She stared at the ceiling and at first refused to look at Xena but could see her in the corner of her eye. She was sitting on a stool by the window across the room.**

**Xena stood up and strode over to the bed Annie was in and sat down. She tilted the girl's head so she was forced to look at her.**** She had a serious and not very pleased look on her face. **

"**Good morning." Annie replied gleefully in an attempt to lighten up the warrior's mood a little for she looked so grim. "Look, Xena I…" she started but Xena raised a hand and stared at her with such intensity that the girl fell silent at once. For a few minutes they just looked at each other which gave Annie a sense for how much trouble she was in. It was obviously a lot. Finally Xena gestured for her to sit up in the bed. She handed her a glass of water and told her to drink it all at once. She did as she was told. She looked at the other bed and noticed that Metaxas wasn't present in the room which she found odd. She mustered the courage to open her mouth and ask though.**

"**Where is he? ****He's not hurt is he?" **

**Xena took the glass from her and put it away. "****I sent him out for some supplies." She answered.**

"**Okay." w****as all she said not daring to push the matter further. Even though she was dying to know where he had gone off to.**

"**We need to have a talk. ****Just you and me. That's why I sent him away for now." Xena said in a calm tone which only made Annie more worried. "Last night you did something that I will simply not tolerate from you ever again. I feel I should be quite clear on that point. And I will be. But first I'd like to take a look at your back."**

**Annie flinched. She had almost forgotten about the sting on her back because of her very much upset stomach and the headache. Xena touched her back very gently and even that stung a little. She moved away from the warrior.**

"**No, I don't want you to!" She exclaimed and pushed Xena's hand away roughly.**

**Xena was surprised Annie acted the way she did. She hadn't had an opportunity to talk to her about what had happened at the school yet. "Look, I already know what happened to you back there. It's no secret. We went to see you at the school yesterday and heard that you had run away. When I spoke to one of the girls who told me what was done to you it all became clear."**

**Annie settled down a little. "****I'm sorry I ran away. I know you wanted us to stay there until you came back." She said. Suddenly it all came back to her. How lonely she had felt hiding in the kitchen, hoping and praying that Xena would burst into the room and save her from her faith. She remembered the pain she had felt while being punished by Gemma. And last but certainly not least, the fear. Tears flooded her eyes and she couldn't hold them back any longer so she let go and allowed her self to cry for the first time since she and Metaxas had been left at the school.**

**When Xena looked at Annie and knew why she was crying she felt so guilty. Guilty that she had agreed to go on this mission in the first place even though Annie was supposed to come first. She got up into the bed and pulled Annie close to her and began rocking her back and forth while she allowed her to just cry. When Annie stopped crying they stayed like that for some additional time until Xena let her up. Without saying anything the warrior signalled for Annie to turn her back towards her. She did and Xena lifted her tunic and took a look at the bruises and cuts on her back from the whipping. They would of course heal though she might be scarred for a while from the deeper cuts in her skin. **

**Annie turned her tunic back down again and turned and faced Xena. "On a scale from one to ten, exactly how angry are you?" she asked.**

**Xena had almost forgotten about the night before. She had let her own guilt totally overtake her. "About ten I would say." She said. It felt strange and unfamiliar to her to be having a conversation like this. She didn't like to say too much. Usually she expected people to understand when she wasn't pleased with something they had done just by looking at her. She didn't always like to use words. But now she felt she had to. Annie wasn't an adult and she still needed guidance in her life. She had to explain things to her so that they would be clear. Not only so she would follow the rules and **_**be**_** safe but also so that she would **_**feel**_** safe. That was important for all kids and she was no exception. **

"**Annie, when I agreed to keep you with me I accepted a certain amount of responsibility. I have a responsibility to keep you safe at all times and to guide you. That means that you have to follow the rules I set for you." She explained. "I'm not angry with you for running away from the school. After what happened there it was perfectly understandable. I am on the other hand very upset with you for drinking last night. "**

**Annie nodded. ****"I didn't think you'd be back until morning." she whispered.**

**Xena sighed deeply at her poor excuse. "And that makes it all right for you to do what you did and behave like that?!" she asked in a voice that said it certainly wasn't. **

**Annie just**** bit her lip and shook her head no. She already knew that but hadn't been able to think of a better reason. "But you never told me I couldn't drink." she protested and felt she had to defend her actions at least a little. **

"**I know I never did, Annie. That's why I'm telling you that now. You are never allowed, under any circumstances, to drink anything with alcohol in it. I know I never told you this in the beginning. But I still think you know this within you if you think about it."**

**Annie felt guilty about drinking. It had seemed like a good idea at the time.**** But she could see it clearly hadn't been a good idea at all. But she also knew that if Xena had just kept her with her it would never have happened. She wanted to ease her own guilt slightly by having something to blame Xena for too. And suddenly it just came out. How hurt and abandoned she had felt when Xena left the school just came out in words.**

"**You're damn right you can't hold me responsible! I didn't ask for you to leave me and if you hadn't I would never have gotten drunk either!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. She got up and headed for the door but felt a hand grab her arm and haul her back towards the bed again. "Don't!" she cried desperately and tried to get lose.**

**Xena felt plenty guilty about everything already but she was not so blinded by it that she didn't see Annie's attempt to use it against her. "Annie, that's quite enough." But the girl didn't stop fighting and soon Xena ran out of patience. She lifted Annie and carried her back to the bed and put her back down determinately. "You listen to me, young lady. I know you're upset. But we still need to clearify a few things. After that I'll leave you alone for a while." she assured her.**

"**No, I don't want to stay here and you can't make me." She argued. **

**Xena raised a brow. "Oh really? Well, I'm not going to let you run around town again.**** I think you've had enough of that for a while. And you think I can't stop you? Think about that for a minute, okay?"**

**Annie frowned but settled down a little. **

**Xena continued. "I feel very guilty about leaving you; but right now I'm ignoring that. ****The fact that I made a mistake does not in any way excuse the fact that you made a huge one. "**

**Annie stubbornly looked away and allowed herself to shed a few more tears.**

"**Now I want you to promise me that you'll never repeat the mistake you made last night again. "**

**Annie turned her head and glared at the warrior. **

"**And I will do the same. I promise to never leave you for that long again unsupervised. It will never happen again" Xena assured her.**

**Annie sighed, but not in a nonchalant way. ****"I promise." she just said.**

"**G****ood." **

"**Where are Gabrielle and Toris?" she asked. "Are they out as well?"**

**Xena got up from the bed. "They left yesterday with a ship to North Africa. We found out that's where Emarentia has been taken to be sold as a slave. There is another ship leaving tomorrow morning and we're going to be on it." She explained.**

**Annie's face lit up and she looked excited. "You're taking us to North Africa?!"**

**Xena just nodded but stayed serious. "Yes I am. And until then you're not allowed to leave this room. You are to stay here and think about what you did wrong last night. And when we're on the ship I will talk to the captain and he will give you work that needs to be done there. That should keep you out of trouble for a while."**

**Annie jumped up "No way! What gives you the right to…"**

"**I have every right and I think that's something you need to work on understanding. Now if I hear one more protest out of you you'll be making it worse for yourself."**

**Annie stood there with her mouth open. She hadn't thought Xena would actually punish her. She sat down again and watched the warrior exit the room. She felt ashamed and also a little angry. But at least she felt no fear and no loneliness anymore. She was safe.**

**To be continued**


	26. On our way

_**Title: Someone please believe in me**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena Warrior Princess", I'm only borrowing them for the story.**_

_**Ship to north Africa**_

**Xena was leaning over the railing watching the sea. Gabrielle enjoyed preaching to her about the peacefulness of the sea. But she had never really understood what it was that the Bard saw when she watched it. All Xena could see was water. She didn't get seasick and she didn't mind being on a ship. But she preferred land over sea if the choice was hers. **

**Metaxas didn't seem to mind being on the ship however. He looked just as broody as usual but every now and then when he gazed out over the sea he would actually smile a little. Xena had given him the task of helping out with the food below deck when ever it was needed. The ship had one man whose job was to prepare the food for the passengers and he appreciated all the help he could get. When Metaxas was done he would go directly to Annie and help her do her job. Xena had not objected to this yet even though it was Annie's punishment and not Metaxas'. She felt it was a nice gesture of the boy to help her out. Annie would usually get stuck with swabbing the deck and cleaning things that needed to be cleaned. But never anything too heavy for her. Sometimes she would be asked to fetch things for the captain. **

**The captain was a kind old man with a very long white beard. He was not the kind of captain that kept to himself in his cabin. He spent time with his crew and made sure everyone did their job, but without using fear and he was kind to Annie and Metaxas. The other passengers were simple people leaving Rome to look for jobs elsewhere or Roman noblemen or merchants travelling to North Africa. Probably to buy slaves or do business there. He was friendly toward them too but he seemed to have taken a liking to Annie and Metaxas. When Xena had asked him to allow them to work on the ship he had agreed. But it was obvious that he was sometimes offering them a break by letting them hide out in his cabin. He sometimes asked one of the kids to bring food down to his cabin. Then the child would stay down there longer than necessary to deliver a tray with food and wine. Xena wasn't sure what they were doing down there but she knew there was no need to be concerned. The captain was no threat. **

**Annie was doing her job well but not without complaining some. She did that even though Xena wouldn'****t make her work very long each day. But for Annie it seemed like she did nothing else but work.**

**They had been on the ship for three days now. Xena had occupied a space on the floor in a corner for the three of them below deck. It wasn't much but it was right below a small window which provided a certain cosy feeling. All the passengers that weren't Roman noblemen or merchants with a lot of money slept together in a big room. Usually the warrior was all for travelling as light as possible. But since she was travelling with two children this time she had made sure to bring at least seven blankets and a pillow each so they could sleep on something soft and stay warm during the night. Nights could become awfully cold on a ship. She had put it all in the corner and put herself between Annie and Metaxas.**

**On deck quite close to wher****e Xena was standing Annie was swabbing the deck once again. It was a hot day and she was sweating quite a lot in the sun. Every now and then she would glare at Xena, hoping she would take pity on her and let her go off and do something fun instead. But the warrior didn't budge. Annie grumbled to herself. She was beginning to wish she had never even seen ale. If she ever became a goddess she would banish it from earth, quickly. **

**She smiled when she saw one of the crewmen approach her. "****The captain would like some food and wine to be sent down to him. Go to the cook and he will give you a tray with what he wants." **

**Annie nodded and put away the mop and the bucket and ran off as fast as she could before Xena had time to object. She ran down some stairs to the cook's place and retrieved the tray and then carefully carried it to the captain's cabin and knocked on the door. She heard him rise and then step over to the door. He opened it and smiled gently when he saw her.**

"**Oh, miss Annie it's you. Please, come in." he stepped aside and allowed her to enter. She had been there several times before and she really liked the atmosphere. The cabin was full of old furniture placed randomly around the room. The walls were covered in maps of places the captain had been to. Old coffers were functioning as tables and each coffer had at least ten candles on it.**

**The captain pointed at a coffer "You can put the tray down over there."**

**Annie did what he said. "Would you like me to pour you some wine?" she asked.**

**The captain simply dismissed her suggestion by waving his hand. "Never mind that now, dear. I have a scroll here to show you. Inside it there is a wonderful adventure hidden. Would you like me to read it to you?" he asked enthusiastically. **

**Annie nodded eagerly. "Yes, of course. ****Does it take place in North Africa?"**

"**As a matter of fact, it does." He sat down in an armchair and pulled out a stool for the girl. Then he grabbed the bowl of fruit in front of them and offered her an apple.**

* * *

**Annie had just exited the cabin and was back on deck again. It was late and Metaxas had already gone below deck to get some sleep. Annie trotted over to the railing and stared out at the sea which looked black now in the dark. There was no one else on dec****k besides the look out and herself. At least that's what she thought until she felt a hand on her shoulder and Xena was standing beside her.**

"**Hi, Xena."**

"**Hi." The warrior smiled warmly at her protégé. "You didn't finish your work today. You do know that means you'll just have to do a little more in the morning instead?"**

**Annie sighed but had to smile at the warrior. "Yes, ma'am. "**

**Xena put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "So how are you doing?"**

"**Oh, I'm fine. I sort of like it here on this ship. It's peaceful."**

**Xena grinned. ****"Now you're starting to sound like you've been around Gabrielle to much." she teased. "But seriously, how are you feeling? You haven't spoken about going home very much lately. Do you miss your parents?" Xena asked these questions feeling she had to for Annie's sake. The girl might need to talk about it. She was a little afraid of the answer though.**

**The girl was quiet while she thought it over. Then she looked the warrior in the eye. "It's different now. Someone once told me that home is where the heart is. I mean, when you live in a place that you've always known as home you sort of accept that place as your home. Because that's the way it is supposed to be. When I first came here I still had Wisconsin portrayed in my head as home. But when you accepted me as you call it your responsibility, I accepted you and Gabrielle as my home."**

**Xena listened to the girl speak. She had never heard anything so vice coming from a girl of fifteen summers before. It was impressive.**

"**Also, I know that I am meant to be here. I'm supposed to learn from you. Hestia said so remember?"**

"**I remember." **

**Annie leaned her head against Xena's shoulder and closed her eyes. "And one other thing. I feel safe with you. In a way it's strange because I feel safer with you here in Ancient Greece where there are many dangers than I ever did back home where nothing much ever happened." **

**Xena could feel herself relax and let go of a lot of anxiety she had been carrying since Rome. "I'm glad to hear that, Annie. Especially since I've been worried you'd never feel safe with me again after I left you at that school." She admitted.**

**Annie lifted her head and looked at the warrior with an irritated stare. "What?! Of course I feel safe with you. So, you made a mistake. Everyone makes them. It's no big deal." She said, doing her very best to convince Xena. "I trust you with my life." She lowered her voice and lowered her head. Suddenly she knew why Xena must be doubting herself. "I'm sorry about what I said in Rome about you leaving me at the school. It was not your fault and I was just angry when I said that."**

**Once again the girl impressed the warrior. She was very young indeed and yet she could apologize in the way she did. Xena herself had had a hard time doing that when she was the same age as Annie was now. "It's alright, Annie. I understand. And it was a mistake. A very big mistake which I don't intend to repeat. But that doesn't mean though that I'm going to take you with me everywhere. If there is too much danger then you're staying where I leave you to keep you safe. However, I guarantee you that that will be the safest place around and not like last time."**

**Annie smiled. ****It was nice being protected.**

**After having stood up on deck listening to the sea and enjoying the peace and quiet without words****, Xena took Annie below deck and rapped her up in blankets and put her in their corner. Metaxas was already asleep and Xena motioned for Annie to lay down on his right side. She then took her place beside the girl. It didn't take long before they were both visiting the land of Morfeus.**

* * *

**Days went by on the ship. Xena was starting to get restless with nothing to do. She helped out on the ship when things needed to be done. The Roman noblemen and merchants gave her sceptical and judgemental looks and glares now and then. They knew she was a passenger even though she hadn't paid as much money as they had for the journey and therefore slept in the bad end of the ship's courters. They still did not understand why she was working.**

**Annie kept doing her work and running down to the captain when ever she could. After having been down there three times in one day Xena finally decided it was enough and followed her. She opened the door and entered without knocking and asked the captain what it was he was doing that was so fascinating for a young girl. He told her about the storytelling and about Annie's interest in his life as a sailor. Annie tried to explain that it wasn't the captain's fault and Xena then softened and said it was okay for her to be down there as much as she wanted as long as she finished her work first. Annie agreed. Metaxas soon started joining her too.**

* * *

**All the passengers were dining in the dining room. T****hey were sitting together gathered at a big table that took up almost the entire room. **

"**Metaxas would you pass me the fruit plate, please?" ****Annie asked. Metaxas grabbed the plate and handed it to her. They were both hungry from the events of the day. Annie watched Xena. She had noticed that she hardly ever spoke to any of the Roman noblemen or merchants and was starting to wonder why. **

"**Xena?"**

**The ****warrior looked up from her plate and nodded.**

"**Why don't you like the other passengers?" she asked bluntly.**

**Xena chewed and then swallowed.**** "It's nothing personal, Annie." she answered, obviously avoiding the question. **

"**Come on, Xena. The volume is so high in here anyway so no one is going o hear you speak.**** Just tell me." she insisted. **

**Xena put down her knife.**** Metaxas was listening eagerly as well. "It's not that I don't like them. But they aren't going to North Africa on a vacation, Annie."**

"**Then why are they travelling all this way there?" she asked puzzled.**

"**To buy slaves. The really ri****ch Romans want to pick out their personal slaves by themselves. And the merchants here are probably working for rich Roman noblemen and are travelling to North Africa to purchase slaves for their employers." **

"**Oh. That doesn't sound right. ****Can't we help the slaves that are going to be sold?"**

"**Perhaps some, but unfortunately not all of them.****" Xena explained. "Now, eat your dinner both of you before it gets cold."**

**Annie and Metaxas turned their attention back to their food and Xena glanced at the door. She had noticed the captain was not dining with them tonight and she was wondering why. Suddenly the door opened and the captain entered. He raised a hand and the room fell silent with expectation. **

"**Forgive me for interrupting your meal, my friends. But, I have an announcement that cannot wait.**** I and my crew have been keeping our senses open today for we have received signs that a storm is approaching. We have now spent an hour preparing the ship for the storm which we believe will come tonight." The crowd began whispering nervously and studying each others' faces. "Please, there is no cause for alarm. But I'm going to order you all to stay below deck tonight. It is for your own safety and for the safety of my crew who will be working on deck to keep the course and the ship in order. If they have to watch out for you as well as themselves then accidents might happen and someone could get hurt." **

**One man dressed in a red cloak stood up and asked irritably "And what are we supposed to do down there? Sit and knit? Personally I am a man of action and I feel you might need my services up there later. Let the women and children stay in their beds and tremble." He announced.**

**The captain remained calm and answered the man with dignity. "My dear sir, I understand you wish to feel useful. But I assure you we can manage. If we need your assistance then I shall call upon you." With those words he turned around and left the room.**

**The man who had spoken murmured "Unbelievable.****"**

"**There is going to be a storm?" Annie asked nervously.**

**Xena nodded. "Finish your meal now both of you. I want you in the sleeping area as soon as possible."**

**Metaxas pointed at Xena with a questioning stare. Annie understood what he meant. "What about you? Aren't you coming too?" **

"**I'm going to check on the situation on deck first and then I'm joining you, okay?"**

**Annie was about to object but stopped herself. Something told her Xena was not in the mood for protests so she just nodded.**

* * *

**Xena had gotten hold of two extra blankets for her two charges. They had a cold and uncomfortable night ahead of them. They were both laying covered in blankets and pillows supporting them in their own little corner in the sleeping area. Xena had to smile when she looked at them. They looked like two small bears hiding from he cold in the mountains somewhere.**

**The warrior did not really want to leave them alone. She had been in storms before and usually the captain and crew were able to manage everything fine and get them through it. But sometimes they did not. She was more worried this time because of the kids being on the ship and felt it was better to go and help as much as she could and check on them repeatedly instead.**

**She fix****ed them with her icy blue stare. "Now you two stay right here. And when I say **_**here**_** I mean right **_**here**_**." She pointed at the spot they were laying in. "I'll be back in a while. In the mean time try and get some sleep."**

"**Be careful up there, Xena."**** Annie said and grabbed hold of the warrior's hand. **

"**I will." ****Xena said and smiled at the girl's sweetness. She left to go up on deck.**

* * *

**Annie and Metaxas were now left alone. But the room was still full of passengers who slept there as well. Except for the rich Noblemen and merchants of course who had their own cabins. **

**Both Annie and Metaxas felt it was impossible to sleep. The ship kept rocking back and forth violently and strange sounds surrounded them. People were coughing and swearing silently around them and in the corner on the other side of the room a baby was crying. Annie was entertaining Metaxas by telling him some stories Gabrielle had told her while being on the road. But eventually she ran out of those as well. They would lay there just looking at the ceiling. **

"**Metaxas, do you miss your parents?" she asked. There was no answer – just a quiet snore. Annie grinned. How could he sleep through this storm she wondered. She started thinking about Metaxas and that he couldn't talk. She was wondering about Sign Language. She had never seen him use it. He used his hands to signal things and to make others understand what he meant. But no actual letters. For the first time in her life she regretted not having chosen a course in sign language in school like her parents had suggested. If she had she could have taught it to Metaxas now. Learning it could open up some new possibilities for him. She felt very smart to have thought of this idea. Even though she had no chance of teaching it to him, it was still a good thought. Then she remembered that Gabrielle knew a lot of languages. Perhaps she knew sign language. Suddenly Annie was overtaken by the urge to run and ask Xena about it. She got up from their safe and warm corner, put her blankets over Metaxas carefully so she wouldn't wake him. **

To be continued


	27. I love you

Title: Someone please believe in me

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on Xena, I'm just borrowing them for the story._**

_**Author's notes: Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter of this story. Sorry it has taken me some time to write ****it. It's now finally summertime and I have more time on my hands to write so you can expect the next chapter to not be too far away. **_

* * *

**Annie climbed the stairs up on deck. The ship was rocking back and forth and she could hear the storm outside. It was raining and the wind was strong. As she opened the wooden door and exited she almost fell to the floor immediately, but she managed to recover and regain her balance. She could see people running back and forth pulling ropes and avoiding things such as barrels that came in high speed rolling back and forth on deck in the storm. As soon as she had come out there and felt the adrenaline in the air and also some men's' fear of being tossed overboard she regretted her decision to leave her safe place underneath the blankets. She looked up and saw a barrel co****ming towards her. Regarding its speed she could tell it was filled with something quite heavy. She jumped aside just in time and the barrel missed. This place was in total chaos, she thought. She got up to open the door and go back below deck again. But when she turned she saw that the heavy barrel was now blocking the door. She tried to push it out of the way but without success. **

"**What the hell am I gonna do now?"**** she thought. "Xena is going to kill me."**

**She decided that trying to move the barrel by herself was a lost cause. She needed help. For some reason this had seemed like a good idea while she had been downstairs but now she remembered Xena's very stern look as she had told her to stay put. Right now she really didn't want to meet Xena's stare but she couldn't think of any other way to get out of this mess than to find her and ask her to move the barrel and let her back down below deck. She looked around but all she could see were sailors running back and forth yelling for someone to help out with something or picking up things that had fallen down or helping their friends up after they had fallen to the floor. They seemed to be working great as a team, Annie thought. She started moving around, trying her best not to smack into someone or be in anyone's way. The ship seemed to be rocking even more now. She started making her way toward the captain's cabin. Maybe Xena would be there. As she was crossing the big open area with the mast in it she was paying a lot of attention to her feet trying to stay on them. A big wave hit the ship and another barrel came rolling with high speed straight against the girl. She heard the noise and looked up and started to move away. Just as she felt the rise of fear inside her realizing she wouldn't make it out of the way she felt someone grab her around the waist and quickly pull her to the side. The barrel missed her and continued rolling down the deck and smacked into the railing. Annie felt herself being held in the air for a few seconds and then put back down on her feet again. She lifted her head and stared into the very stern eyes of a familiar warrior princess. Annie had never seen Xena look so angry before – not ever. **

**At first it looked like Xena was too angry to form words at all. But then she seemed to calm herself a little. At least enough to state what Annie already knew.**

"**You were supposed to stay put. "**

**Annie swallowed hard. "Yes but…" she didn't get any further before the angry warrior grabbed her by her upper arm and started marching her back to the stairs and the sleeping area. Annie winced in pain but didn't try to break free. She knew there was no use in fighting. "Xena please… I just…"**

"**Be quiet." Was the response she received. Not exactly the one she had wished for.**

**They reached the door and Xena noticed the barrel that was blocking it. She simply removed it and again took Annie by the arm and continued down the stairs. But before entering the sleeping area where people were sleeping Xena stopped. She turned Annie to look at her and bent down a little. "Now you listen to me. What you just did up there was very dangerous and you could have been killed. It's not the first time that you've put yourself in danger and you need to start listening to me and start doing what I tell you."**

**Annie listened to what Xena was saying. She knew she was right and she felt so ashamed. She said nothing to defend her actions though. Right now there was nothing she could say. She knew this was worse than last time when she had been drinking. **

"**I hoped you had learned something by swabbing the deck this journey but obviously I was wrong.****"**

**Annie looked away unable to meet Xena's angry and disappointed stare. "Look at me, young lady!!" she yelled and made Annie jump. "We will talk about this again tomorrow for real and deal with the consequences. Right now I want you to go to bed and this time STAY THERE." She said and crossed her arms over her chest. When Annie didn't move the warrior gave her push in the back "Go!" she pointed for Annie to continue all the way down the stairs. The girl hurried to do so as quickly as she could. **

**When she entered she ran over to their corner with the sleeping Metaxas. She quickly lay down beside him and covered herself with a blanket to get warm again. As soon as she relaxed her body and calmed down a bit she felt the tears form behind her eyes. She sobbed a little but not too loud. As usual she regretted the mistake she had made. As always her idea had seemed like a good one at the time. But as soon as she had faced Xena she had known immediately that it had not been a good one at all. It wasn't like she was afraid of Xena of all people in the world. She loved the tall warrior and looked up to her. But right now she was afraid of what she would do to her. **

**_Next morning_**

**The storm had passed and all was calm once again. The sun was actually shining down on the ship and its crew. Xena was standing by the railing again, gazing out at the sea. She needed some advice. If only Gabrielle had been close now, then Xena would have talked to her. She needed the Bard's point of view. **

**The warrior was of course upset that Annie had left the sleeping area even after she had told her not to. She wanted to know the reason she had come up on deck but had not wanted to ask during the night because of the risk of her exploding if the answer wasn't good enough. And unless the answer would have been that someone was dying and she had gone for help, it wouldn't have been good enough.**

**She had felt the captain watching her the past minutes and now he approached her.**

"**I wanted to thank you for your help last night. It was greatly appreciated. I understand you have had experience being on ships before?" he smiled at the warrior who seemed to have her mind on other things. **

**She looked at him "I have had experience."**

"**Not very talkative today I see. ****Problems with the girl perhaps?"**

**The warrior nodded. **

"**I noticed your little dispute last night. ****She came up here without your permission I suppose?"**

"**Yes, she did." ****Xena sighed. " I can't remember ever being this difficult as a kid her age."**

"**Well, perhaps you just don't remember. Perhaps you were just as difficult to your parents as your daughter is to you now." The captain suggested with a smirk.**

"**She's not my daughter. She IS however under my protection and my responsibility."**

**The old man looked surprised. He turned and leaned his back against the railing, tilted his head up towards the sun and let it warm his skin. "So, what is the problem then?"**

"**The problem is that she doesn't listen to me. ****She keeps putting herself in danger. As long as she stays with me she'll be put in more than enough danger anyway and as if that weren't enough she puts herself in unnecessary danger."**

**The captain stroked his chin and nodded thoughtfully. "****I see. That's not good."**

**Xena waved her arms in the air with frustration. "****No it isn't and I just don't know what to do about it. I need to find a way to make her understand how serious that is."**

"**That's easy. Just think of what your parents did to make you understand you had done something wrong and that you shouldn't do it again." He suggested.**

**Xena just stared at him and then she smiled a little. "I was raised by my mother. She was a terrific parent with lots of experience with children even before she had her own." She locked eyes with the captain. "I am not my mother. It wouldn't be right for me for me to just copy the exact way she raised me and my brothers. " she paused a while. "And besides, my mother, having to raise us by herself, was very strict. And I couldn't bring myself to lay hands on Annie. Even if she might deserve it." she said.**

"**I had a son once. " the captain said and gazed dreamily into the distance. "He was born on this ship and spent most of his time at sea. He was a good boy but like most children got into trouble once in a while. His mother died when he was three years old and I did my best to raise him alone. I lectured him a lot on what he was allowed to and not allowed to do and what was dangerous for him. No matter how often I reminded him he always ignored it when it suited him to forget and went right ahead and did it anyway. This went on for years. I tried to be a good parent to him and punished him when he did wrong. But despite that and all my warnings he disobeyed me. Finally I just stopped."**

**Xena had been listening with interest to what the captain wa****s saying. She raised a brow as she looked at him with a questioning stare. "You stopped what?" **

"**I felt it was to no use. So when he was around twelve I stopped telling him what was dangerous and what was wrong. When he was fifteen he decided he wanted to go explore the city which we had stopped in for supplies. He snuck out in the middle of the night and left the ship. I knew he did that sometimes when we were a shore but like I said; I had stopped trying to get him to stop doing things he wasn't supposed to. He walked into a tavern where he got drunk. He had been drinking too much and was unable to defend himself when he was robbed and killed on his way back to the ship by some thugs who had seen him in the tavern. After that I realized that I never should have stopped. I should have found a way to make him understand before things spun out of control."**

**Xena nodded. The captain was an old man and this was a story from his past.**** But he seemed very sad while telling it to her even though it must have been a long time ago. **

"**You see, Xena. ****When you are a parent…you can never keep your child's stubbornness as an excuse not to be in control. Miss Annie is not an adult. But she is not exactly a very small child either. My bet is that she wants to be seen as an adult. But she's not one yet and you need to set up some rules for her to follow. If she crosses the line then you let her know it will not be accepted."**

* * *

**Annie was sitting on the blankets in the sleeping-area, with a pillow stuffed behind her back. She was staring at the ceiling, thinking, now and then she would glance at the door. Xena had awakened both her and Metaxas quite early and told him to get dressed and then go help out with breakfast. When he had left she had looked at Annie and told her to stay put until she came back and then they would hade their promised talk. Annie had kept quiet and nodded.**

**She had been wandering around the room as quietly as possible trying not to wake others who were still asleep. She must have been down there for at least two hours now. But it felt like twenty agonizing hours. She was sure Xena had calmed down by now but she still didn't want to face her. She could be very stern when she wanted to and Annie had a feeling this was one of those times when she wanted to. **

**The door opened and the tall warrior entered. She signalled for Annie to follow her out. The girl got to her feet and followed Xena up on deck. It was another beautiful day and the sun was shining. Annie didn't pay much attention to that though. She followed Xena to a more private part of the ship where there weren't hardly any passengers. They sat down on a turned over barrel that contained fish. Annie could smell the fish but she thought it smelled kind of nice. **

**Xena still hadn't said anything yet and Annie was beginning to fear that she still hadn't gotten over last night's incident. **

"**Annie," Xena began. "I asked you to come out here with me so that we could have a talk. We need to talk about what happened last night of course…but I also want to bring up something else."**

"**What's that then?" Annie asked sounding a little bored already. **

**Xena frowned but chose to ignore the girl's attitude. "We need to talk about my role in your life and vice versa. But first let me make something very clear." She took a deep breath and exhaled "What you did last night was dangerous. You will NEVER put yourself in danger like that again. It will not be tolerated by me or Gabrielle. Do you understand?"**

**Annie nodded. "Yes," she mum****bled. **

**Xena put one hand behind her left ear and pretended not to hear. ****"Excuse me, what?"**

"**Yes." She said louder this time. **

"**Why did you go outside after I had specifically told you not to?" Xena asked puzzled. "Did you even have a reason to disobey me like that?"**

"**Of course I had a reason. I wanted to ask you something." She answered slightly annoyed at the warrior's stupid question. What did she think she just felt like taking a stroll?**

"**Alright, and what did you want to ask me that was so important that it couldn't wait until morning?"**

**Annie squirmed a little. It had sounded so much better the night before but it was as if she realised now when about to utter the words how silly it sounded as an excuse. But she had no choice now. "Well, I was thinking about Metaxas- and that he can't talk. I wanted to ask you if you knew if Gabrielle could teach him sign-language."**

**Xena buried**** her face in her hands for a few seconds. "Annie, that was not a good reason to come up here. You definitely could have waited until morning with that question and you know it. You almost got killed by that barrel rolling towards you and you would have been if I hadn't spotted you." Xena looked at the girl but got no response. Annie looked away and didn't want to meet her stare. "This brings me to my point about my role in your life. I believe I have been too soft with you for a long time now. Ever since you started travelling with me and Gabrielle you have been aware of the risks. I have told you over and over again to be careful and to listen to me. Still, you manage to do just the opposite mostly. I want to make it very clear to you that that will not e tolerated anymore. I don't know if you realise how close you came to dying last night. If anything happened to you I don't know what I would do. That is because I love you." She said and hoped Annie would notice the "L" word she had finally managed to use.**

"**While I'm responsible for you, young lady, you will do what you're told. I don't know how your parents treated you but you are not an adult here. If you break the rules and disobey me you will be punished. So, there WILL BE consequences from now on, do you understand?" **

**Annie just sat there with her mouth open. Xena had said that she loved her. It had been a long time since anyone had said they loved her. But she had also said there would be consequences for her mistakes and she didn't like the sound of that. "Consequences? You're starting to sound like my mother." She commented with a pout.**

"**Well, maybe I should sound like her. Maybe you don't realize it, Annie. But you are in a different world now. This world is not easy to live in, and the life you're living now with us isn't exactly the life inside the walls of a protected castle. Getting killed is not very difficult here. "**

**Annie sighed "So, you're telling me I'm not allowed to do much of anything then because I might die. That's just stupid."**

"**I'm just telling you that I have rules that I **_**expec**_**t you to follow. You are not a prisoner. But you are not allowed to put yourself in danger like you did last night, or when you got lost in the forest and were attacked by the wild bore or when you got yourself drunk. Would you like me to bring up more examples?" she asked sarcastically. **

"**No."**

"**Then you know what I mean. "**

"**Yes. What rules are you talking about anyway?"**

"**Oh, it's very simple actually. You do WHAT I say WHEN I say it."**

**Annie sighed a****nd shrugged. "Sure. But you've already told me that like a hundred times before."**

**Xena bent forward so that her face was just a few inches away from Annie's. "So why haven't you followed it then? I might have told you this before but you have mostly ignored it. And I have let it pass. I won't do that anymore."**

**Annie looked away again. She was starting to feel a bit frustrated at Xena's remarks. Surely she had done her best to listen to Xena and do what she was told. Surely she had.**

"**I have done my best, you know." She mumbled, barely loud enough for Xena to hear.**

"**Well, you are just going to have to try harder." The warrior said determinedly. She gazed out at the sea. In order to keep Annie out of trouble she knew she would have to keep even her updated on what was to come as often as possible. She felt that might be a good way to still the girl's curiosity a bit. "According to the captain we'll be reaching the shore of North Africa in two days. When we get there we'll head out right away to find Gabrielle and Toris. Hopefully they will have found Emarentia and perhaps even a way to get her out of where she's kept as a slave." Xena became quiet.**

"**How do you know we****'ll be able to find them at all? Isn't it a big place?" Annie asked, happy the subject had been changed.**

"**The harbor ****we'll be arriving in belongs to a city which isn't so big. It's big enough to present a problem if they have been forced to go far away from the harbour itself to find her of course. But if that's the case then Gabrielle will have left me a message. "**

**Thinking the conversation was over Annie got up and started walking away from the barrel she had shared with Xena.**

"**This conversation is not over yet, Antonia."**** She heard the warrior's stern voice call out to her. She stopped dead in her tracks, surprised to hear her real name spoken. "Come right back here." **

**Annie didn't move. She wanted the conversation to be over. She answered in the most mature way she could think of. "Come on, Xena. Don't you think we have more important things to worry about than my little insignificant mistake last night?"**

**Xena could hardly beli****eve her ears. But instead of sitting there doubting what she knew she had just heard. She got up and in a second she was by Annie's side. She took the girl by the ear and brought her back to the barrel. **

"**Ow! ****Xeeena, let go!" the girl yelled out. The warrior did let go right away as soon as soon as they had sat back down again.**

"**Alright, perhaps you didn't hear me earlier. ****You do WHAT I say WHEN I say it." Xena said with an icy stare fixed on the girl who this time certainly didn't look away. "Understood?"**

**An****nie swallowed hard as she kept eye contact with Xena. "Yes, Ma'am."**

**Xena wanted to make sure Annie really understood how serious the event the night before had been. Clearly she didn't understand that yet. **

**She softened her tone a bit "I know you say you try to do what I tell you to and I believe you. But it is important that you stop going off on your own without asking and that you start listening to me. I know you have many things you want me to teach you. And eventually I will teach you some of them."**

**Annie's face lit up at hearing that. **

"**But how do I do that if you're dead?" Xena could tell Annie was starting to hear her for real.**** "Well, how do I?"**

**Annie bit her lower lip and seemed to be in deep thought. "****You can't" she answered.**

"**Exactly. You see my point?"**

**Annie nodded her head slowly. "****I do."**

"**Good. Then we end this discussion here for now****. About Metaxas and sign-language - it's a good idea but I believe the best thing for him would be to let go of the pain he is feeling after killing a person and start talking again. He's not really mute you know."**

"**I know. But he's not talking. This could be a way for him to communicate." Annie went on.**

"**Yes, but my point is that he knows how to talk already. I don't even believe he has forgotten how to. He just chooses not to right now. If we teach him to communicate using his hands now I think chances are he'll never start talking." Xena explained. She rose and leaned against the railing, still facing Annie.**

**Annie squinted her eyes and looked suspiciously at Xena. "You had already thought of sign-language hadn't you?" she asked. **

**Xena grinned at the girl. "Yes. I and Gabrielle and Toris talked about it once. We agreed it was a better approach to wait and give him a chance to start talking again instead. You see, Gabrielle doesn't know sign-language, but she knows someone who does back in her village. That could always be an alternative. "**

**Annie smiled at the warrior. She trusted her judgement.**

"**Good. Now I'm definitely starving. Let's go have some breakfast."**

**_To be continued_**


	28. New place

**_Title: Someone please believe in me_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Xena warrior princess", I'm just borrowing them for the story._**

**Toris could hardly believe how little luck they had had since they left Rome. Everything had been fine on the ship at first – until they had been hit by a storm and had to stop at a nearby island to be on the safe side. That had meant an extra day long delay. When they had arrived in North Africa they had gone to the market-place where the slaves were either auctioned or put in cages so that the rich buyers could inspect them before buying them. They had looked everywhere for Emarentia but neither one of them had spotted the young redhead among the slaves. Eventually they had gone to the sellers and started asking around if any of them had sold a woman with long red hair and blue eyes. ****Some refused to answer while others answered but the answer was always no. When they had asked the last one they had been ready to give up. But then as if the Gods had sent them a gift from Olympus a man appeared at their side. He had been standing nearby and overheard them asking about Emarentia. **

"**I saw the woman you are looking for. I noticed her because of her foreign looks and be****cause of her beauty."**

**The man had dark skin and brown eyes that resembled chocolate. He wore a red tunic and white cotton pants and sandals. "She was sold yesterday afternoon to a man who is known around here as Phyro."**

**Gabrielle had opened her mouth to thank the man but before she got the chance he had turned around and left. Toris had turned to her. "I can't believe this! If we had only been here a day earlier we could have gotten to her!" **

"**Yeah, I know. Now we have to find out where this Phyro spends his time to find her. Unless he's planning to sell her to someone else."**

"**Well, unless we wanna start auctioning ourselves out we'd better start asking around." Toris said and started walking away. ****He stopped and turned around. Gabrielle hadn't followed him. She stood still with a big grin on her face. Suddenly Toris felt as if he had just read the Bard's mind. "Oh no, NO WAY!" he said while waving his hands frantically in front of her. "Absolutely not! Xena would kill me!"**

"**Come on Toris, it would save us time**** and Xena would see that and think it was a good idea. "**

"**We are not selling you!"**

* * *

**Annie never thought she'd be**** so happy to see land again. The ship had just made port and she and Metazas were walking behind Xena on the gangway leaving the ship. There was a market right next to where the ships made port and when they left the ship they walked right into it. The market was filled with people strolling around shopping. This was just a normal day to them. It was not just any day to the trio passing by them.**

"**Xena? Where are we going?" **

"**To find Gabrielle and Toris."**

**They were walking very fast when Annie suddenly stopped having seen a beautiful pearl-necklace on a table. The table was filled with different kinds of jewellery and the woman who obviously owned them and was willing to sell them smiled at Annie from her place behind the table. For a moment Annie forgot that they were supposed to hurry and even that the market was a crowded place filled with people. In other words, not a place to get lost in. She smiled back at the woman and then reached out to pick up the pear-necklace and try it on. Maybe she could buy it while they were here. In the corner of her eye she saw the woman reach behind her back and then as fast as the wind pull out a knife and aim for Annie's hand reaching for the necklace. The girl quickly pulled her hand back and the knife just missed her with an inch. The knife stuck in the table and the woman let it go but instead caught Annie's wrist with her other hand.**

**Annie tried to keep calm but now she was suddenly convinced that the woman any time now would reach for her knife again and cut off her hand.**

"**Let go of her" a husky determined voice came from behind her. ****Annie turned her head quickly and saw Xena and Metaxas standing there. **

**Suddenly Metaxas rushed forward and pulled the knife loose and pointed it at the woman. She let Annie go and backed away a few steps. Xena quickly pushed Annie a side and focused her familiar "do as I say right now" stare on Metaxas.**

"**Give me the knife, Metaxas.****" The boy quickly snapped out of it and stopped staring at the woman. Instead he looked at Xena and immediately shifted the knife over to his left hand and then handed it to the warrior. "Good. " Xena signalled for him to get behind her which he did. She then put both her hands on the table and leaned forward while keeping eye contact with the woman on the opposite side of it.**

"**I'm sorry about that. ****A small misunderstanding perhaps." Xena looked at the woman who looked a little shocked and still kept her distance. Annie was surprised to see Xena hand her back the knife. "The girl is with me. She has not stolen anything from you." Xena turned to Annie "Annie, empty your pockets and show her."**

**Annie gave Xena a confused stare but did what she said. She turned her pockets inside out and showed the woman that there was nothing there that belonged to her.**** "See?"**

"**So we're okay here, right?"**** Xena looked at the woman searching for common consent. Annie could see that they reached some sort of understanding before Xena turned and they all left.**

**They walked out of the market place and into an alley where Xena finally stopped. She turned to the kids with a serious expression and looked like she was ready to say something but Annie beat her to it. "What happened back there? I don't understand."**

**Xena put her hands on her hips. "****She thought you were a thief stealing from her. "**

**Metaxas looked confused and just shook his head. ****Annie said what they were both wondering. "Why did she think that?"**

**Xena sighed. "Because that happens a**** lot here. Theft is part of everyday life here and people like that woman who is making a living selling necklaces she makes herself is on her guard at all times. Did you pick up one of the necklaces?"**

**Annie nodded. "T****hen she thought you were going to take it and run away with it. Or that you had something in your pockets that you had already taken." Xena could see Annie felt badly about the situation she had caused. "Look, it was a mistake, honey. Just remember to ask if you may look at the merchandise next time **_**before **_**picking it up okay?" she put a hand on the girl's shoulder and smiled.**

"**I will."**

**Xena nodded. She turned to Metaxas. "And you. There are better ways to solve a situation like the one back there than to threaten someone with a knife. I know you were scared for Annie so I'm not going to say anything more about it. Except don't do it again. And especially not when I'm standing right next to you. I would never have let Annie get hurt…so trust me to handle the dangerous situations."**

**Metaxas nodded slowly. He didn't seemed quite convinced that letting Xena handle it would have been the best approach**** though. "I now you two were alone for a while back in the school. And it's good that you seem to have been looking out for one another. But you don't have to rely on only each other now that I am here and Gabrielle and Toris as well. We are the adults. Understood?"**

**Metaxas reached out his hand for Xena to shake. A****nnie knew what he meant by that while the warrior seemed a little confused. "He is accepting what you just said, Xena. It's a deal." Annie and Metaxas exchanged meaningful smiles. Xena shook the boy's hand and smiled too.**

"**It'****s wisdom before weapons you two."**

* * *

**The captain smiled at the b****lond girl and the dark-haired man standing before him.**

"**Yes, Xena was my passenger. I was told you would come ask for her. She told me to tell you that she and the two young ones can be found at the inn next to the slave-market in the center of town."**

**Gabrielle offered Toris an exultant smile."I told you she would leave a message for us."**

"**Okay, okay so you were right. Guess my little sister always does think two steps ahead." He said and Gabrielle was almost certain she could detect pride in his voice.**

**They thanked the captain who sent his regards to his former passengers and Toris and Gabrielle started towards the inn now that they knew where to seek their companions.**

**The city they were all in was not very big. And everything was so different from Greece or Rome. Gabrielle looked around her and everywhere she saw something that she wanted to explore or people dressed differently from what she was used to that she'd like to talk to. Sometimes even ask for their tailor's address. The city seemed very crowded to her. In that way it actually resembled Rome a little because even though it was small it felt crowded with people and had buildings everywhere and alleys and streets to confuse you and get lost in. But there was also a mystique about this place that Greece or Rome did not have. And even though people dressed differently and many people had a different colour on their skin than what she had – she still didn't feel like she stuck out in the crowd. That was a difference between the way it must feel like being an outsider walking the streets of Athens and what it felt like to her being here. People would notice you in Athens if you had just arrived from a different nation. They would stare at you and intentionally or unintentionally make you feel uneasy. But not here. people just didn't seem to care. They were too busy with their own lives and their own business to bother staring or to disturb the strange looking strangers in their world. **

**When they reached the inn they saw Xena, Annie and Metaxas exiting the building. When they noticed the Bard and Toris coming Annie ran straight to Gabrielle and hugged her. Toris walked over and gave Metaxas a smile which he returned. They didn't need much more than that to show that they were glad to see one another. Gabrielle hugged Metaxas too when Annie had let go of her. **

**Xena smiled at her best friend. "****It's good to see you."**

**Gabrielle grinned. ****"Likewise."**

"**We were just gonna go somewhere to get a bite to eat." ****Xena said. **

**Toris looked around. From outside the inn they could see**** the square with the slave-market where he and Gabrielle had been earlier and some market-stalls selling vegetables and fruit near by. "What's wrong with this place?" he asked. "They have food."**

**Xena stared at her brother and then made menacing glance at the kids. He raised a brow questioningly.**

**The bard cut in, knowing what Xena was thinking "I think we could find a place with a nicer view."**

**Toris gave her a puzzled glare. "Fine, let's just go before I starve." **

**The five companions started walking away from the slave-market and towards the harbour again. Gabrielle caught up to Toris and walked beside him. "Xena just doesn't want Annie to see these poor people being sold into slavery." She explained. **

"**Maybe she's shielding her a little too much." Toris suggested. " It's like Xena says herself – the world is a dangerous place to live in. Maybe Annie should get to experience things she's likely to come across later anyway." Toris started walking a little faster and the bard didn't try to keep up this time. Xena had spoken to her about training Annie to defend herself with a staff. Gabrielle actually thought it might be a good idea. Annie seemed to want to learn to fight and she did have a habit for getting into trouble. Gabrielle thought she reminded a little bit of herself when she had first started travelling with Xena. However, she could not stop thinking about what Toris had said. Could it be he was right? They didn't know for how long Annie would be staying in their world. What if she stayed for ever? Then she might not have any idea how to handle difficulties if Xena had protected and shielded her from everything. **

**_To be continued_**


	29. Finding information

**Title: Someone please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to "Xena Warrior Princess".**

**Author's comment: Hello everyone! As usual I apologize for taking so long between updates but it has been almost impossible for me to write during this autumn because of my studies. This spring however I won't be studying so I will have more time to update more often.**

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An inn close to the docks

**The inn wasn't very crowded. It felt nice to not be surrounded by too many people. They ordered and ate while telling each other how the last few days apart had been. Annie felt so happy to see Gabrielle. There had definitely been something missing when she hadn't been with them. She had missed hearing her stories and listening to her and Xena argue about food and who should do the cooking. Annie was pulled out of her daydreaming when she heard Gabrielle raise her voice.**

"**Come on, Xena, it's a great idea. ****Admit that."**

"**Gabrielle, I would never admit that. It's out of the question.**** There is no way I would ever let you do that. Do you have any idea what they do to slaves?"**

"**So I'll get some experience then. It's the best course of action.****"**

"**Why is it the best course of action? There are other ways of getting in and rescuing Emarentia.**** We just need to think of one…"**

**Totis held up a hand. "Hello, aren't we forgetting something?" Gabrielle and Xena halted their conversation. "We do not yet know where she has been taken. We need to find this Phyro." **

**The innkeeper appcoached them with their drinks. Toris looked up at him. "Excuse me, do you know of a man named Phyro?" the innkeeper smiled at him despite his lack of teeth.**

"**Yes, everybody knows his name. He buys a lot of slaves." He put the drinks on the table and turned around and left.**

**Toris frowned. "Ookay, that was disappointing. ****He buys a lot of slaves. That's information we desperately needed." He said with sarcasm. **

**Annie sighed. It seemed to her like everything was going too slow. They weren't getting anywhere. She rose from her seat.**

"**Where are you going?" Xena asked surprised. Annie didn't answer but just walked determinedly over to the bar where the innkeeper stood. He looked at the girl who jumped up on a tall stool and stared at him. **

"**What do you want?" he asked almost rudely.**

"**Hi!" was all she said. **

**The innkeeper just shook hi****s head and sighed. "If you want to order something then do so now."**

**Annie leaned forward and whispered. "I wanna ask you a question." ****She smiled sweetly at him. "Is that all right?"**

**The innkeeper sighed again. "I guess that would be ****all right. What do you want to ask?" his eyes screamed of boredom and in some way Annie felt she could understand him. Being an innkeeper must be awfully dull sometimes. Especially when there were no customers. "My friend over there" she pointed at Toris. She could see that her friends were watching their conversation with interest. "He asked you if you know Phyro."**

**The innkeeper nodded "Yes, he did. And I said that I know his name." **

"**Uh huh. Well, I want to know a little more about him. Like why is his name famous? What is he famous for?" she asked.**

**The innkeeper turned his head away and poured himself an ale. He suddenly seemed uninterested in talking to her. Annie decided to try a new approach. "You know, you seem a little bored working here. This job isn't exactly a lot of fun is it?"**

**The innkeeper answered without looking up "No, not exactly."**

"**What did you do before you started working here? Or do you own this place?" she kept asking.**

"**I do own it. ****But I bought it years ago from a friend. I used to work for the slave traders, feeding the slaves." He said in a low voice. He looked up and must have seen Annie's expression if repulsion. "It was honest work. Every man needs money." he said.**

**Annie quickly found her focus again. ****"Yes, of course. I understand that. Why did you quit?"**

"**I couldn't stand seeing the poor people suffer like they did. ****That is no way to live." He explained. It sounded like tears weren't far away.**

**Annie was quiet for a minute. "I think you made the right choice then. I mean you're right. No one should have to be a slave. And that is kind of why I'm asking you about Phyro. I can tell you that it's for a good cause."**

**The innkeeper shook his head and grabbed a broom and started sweeping the floor.**

"**Are you afraid of him? Because if you are then my friend Xena over there, she's the one dressed in all the leather, can protect you."**

**The innkeeper stopped sweeping for a second and looked at her. "Girl, I am not afraid of Phyro. He has been in this town for as long as I can remember and I have never even spoken to him. He probably doesn't even know I exist. But…"he raised a finger in the air "I will not have this establishment turned into a place people go to for information about slave traders. Because eventually I will loose customers on that." He explained and continued sweeping again. "I have a reputation to consider."**

**Annie was getting a little bit annoyed at this man's stubbornness now. ****"Look here Mr innkeeper or what ever your name is. We are looking for a woman who has been brought here all the way from Rome. She was captured by the Zolicans and bought by Phyro and now he has her somewhere. We are here to get her out. But to do that we need to know where he keeps his slaves. " she looked very serious. "If you don't help us she might die, and if she does then it'll be partly because of you." She crossed her arms over her chest like she had seen Xena do so many times. **

**The innkeeper just stared at the girl. "****Look here, if you think you can blame me for some woman's death as a slave then you…"**

"**I'm not blaming you, I'm just simply stating the facts. She could die and right now YOU have a chance to help save her.**** If you don't take it then you are partly responsible."**

**The innkeeper sighed at the girl's stubbornness. "****Fine. I don't believe in slavery. I suppose it can't hurt this place to help you just this once." He cleared his throat and began to talk "Phyro is a merchant. He deals in armour and weaponry and has an estate a few miles west outside of this town. It's a big place with a wall surrounding it and many people working for him. But he also has a lot of slaves of course. Cheep labour. He doesn't have to pay them or anything to work since they're his property. All he has to do is beat them if they don't obey. "**

**Annie listened closely to what he had to say. Every b****it if information could be useful to them. **

"**He sends people to his own mine to work. That's where he gets the material to make the weapons and armour."**

"**So you think Emarentia, that's the woman we're looking for, has been sent to this mine to work?" Annie asked. In a way she hoped he'd say no because it didn't sound very good for a person to be working there. But then again they would know where to find her if that's where she was.**

"**No. Only men work there. Most women are too weak and he doesn't waste labour.**** He wants them to work for as long as they live. No, she has not been sent to the mine. It's more likely she is working at the estate."**

"**Doing what?"**

"**I don't know. I have never been there."**

**Annie nodded. At least they knew where to go now. Toris would probably want to leave as soon as possible. She looked at the innkeeper and reached for his hand. "Thank you so much. You are a good person."**

**T****he innkeeper smiled at her. "You're welcome, child."**

**Annie jumped off the stool and started walking back towards their table. Before reaching it she spun around. "You now this place ain't that bad. You could cheer it up a bit with some music and a discoball and it'll be a hit."**

**The five companions exited the inn and walked out on the street. **

"**So now we know where we're going." Xena stated "Good work, Annie. How did you convince him to talk to you? He didn't seem very willing to engage into a conversation before."**

**Annie shrugged. "I have my ways of getting people to share." **

"**Uh huh, I'm sure you do." The warrior grinned. "It's good that you have a way with words so you can use that to get information. I'm impressed." **

**Annie tho****ught it felt good that Xena was pleased with her efforts. But she knew that probably wasn't the way the warrior herself would have handled the situation. She probably would have talked to him yes, but if he hadn't cooperated she would have convinced him by scaring him into talking. Not by using force of course because he didn't seem like a bad guy. But an angry stare from the Warrior Princess was often enough to make people talk. **

"**I agree." ****Toris cut in. "That was good work, Annie. " He patted her head once which she found a bit patronizing but didn't say so. She knew he meant well. "So I think we should leave immediately. Let's forget renting a room at a tavern. We know where she is now so it's better we just go there. "**

**Xena silently agreed with her older brother. There was only one problem. They couldn't bring the kids with them because they had no idea what it would be like at this estate. Perhaps there wouldn't be any safe place to leave them at near there and Xena didn't want to take them inside the estate. And if they stayed here in town someone would have to stay with them. "I don't think we should rush into things now. We need a plan so we know what to do when we get there."**

"**What's to know? We g****o in and get her. That's it." Toris insisted.**

**Suddenly X****ena stopped. They needed to have a conversation without Annie and Metaxas so she could feel she could say what needed to be said without interruptions or protests. **

**The others stopped as well and looked at her. "Xena what are you doing?" Gabrielle asked. **

**Xena finally spoke. ****"Look, we need to talk." she said.**

**Toris sighed. ****He seemed real eager to just get going right away. "We are talking right now. Only we're moving at the same time. And I don't know about you but I'd like to keep moving." he said and started walking again.**

"**Toris wait!" Xena said and he stopped again a few paces ****farther away. Xena turned to Annie and Metaxas and put a hand on each of kid's shoulder. "Can we talk alone for a few minutes? Could you two go get something to eat from that market-stand over there?" she asked and pointed at a stand selling fruit and vegetables.**

"**But…" Annie started to object.**

"**Annie please just do ****what Xena says." Gabrielle said saving Xena the work of having to. **

**Metaxas th****rew his hands in the air and took Annie's hand. The two of them were given some money by Toris and they then walked away from the adults. **

"**They really didn't seem to like that."**** Gabrielle said looking as the kids took off down the road.**

"**No they didn't. "Xena said. "****But that's really not what we should be concerned with right now." She turned to her brother. "Toris, I understand why you want to leave right away but there is something else to consider here."**

"**All I'm concerned about right now is savi****ng Emarentia. I fear for her safety."**

"**As do we all. But we must remember that there are Annie and Metaxas to consider as well. I don't think it's a good idea to bring them to this estate if we're going to break in and rescue Emarentia. So what we need to figure out is what to do with them in the meanwhile."**

"**You're right. We can't just leave them." Toris said. "I didn't think about that.****"**

"**Well, the innkeeper said that this place will be surrounded by a wall. I'm gu****essing since he mentioned it that this entire wall must be pretty high. And also, my guess is that the place is probably pretty well guarded. " Xena felt she should say that out loud even though chances were pretty big that Gabrielle and Toris had already thought of it too. "It could be difficult breaking in there and trying to locate Emarentia if the estate is really big and there are only three of us. We don't know how many guards there will be."**

"**How do we know there will be any at all?" Gabrielle asked.**

"**I believe that ther****e will be since this is a man who makes a living selling weapons and armour."**

"**Okay." Gabrielle agreed. "So, the only thing we can do then is leave the kids here in town with one of us. "**

"**We rent horses as soon as possible." Xena said now that they had agreed what to do with the kids while the rescue took place. Now only one question remained. "Who stays with them?"**

**There was silence**** at first but then the faithful Bard raised a hand. "I will." She said. "You two should go do the break – in –thing."**

**Xena knew for a fact that Gabrielle hated to be left behind and that she was doing this for her sake.**

**Gabrielle knew that Xena would never repeat the same mistake they had made back in Rome and leave Annie with a stranger.**

**Xena looked at her dear friend. "Thank you."**

**To be continued**


	30. Costa, Cicurinus, Trio and Agrippa

**Story: Someone please believe in me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to "Xena Warrior Princess", I'm just a big fan who is borrowing the characters.**

**Author's notes: Hi! Here is another update, a bigger one this time. I have some free time right now so I'm trying to spend it writing this story as much as possible. I hope you like the chapter.**

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Xena and Toris rented two stallions, hopped on them and headed south, towards the estate. They rode for three hours before reaching a hill covered in trees and bushes. Below that hill lay the estate. It was built in stone to keep the heat out and consisted of a main building that was stationed in the centre, two smaller and simpler buildings situated one to the right and one to the left of the main building. There were also stables that looked big enough to be the homes of approximately twenty horses each.

They stopped at the top of the hill. Hidden by the trees and bushes they stood looking down at the place holding Emarentia and many other slaves hostages. It was as the innkeeper had said a wall surrounding the estate. It was very high and many guards who were heavily armed were posted on it. The hill was high enough for the two warriors to see into the yard and what they saw were more guards. They were seated at a very large wooden table eating supper.

"I hate to admit it…but it is going to be difficult breaking in here and rescuing Emarentia without being seen." Xena said.

Toris nodded in silence. Suddenly the peace in the yard was broken when a guard exited one of the smaller buildings. He was dragging a woman behind him who had a rope around her neck. All the other guards stood up and stood at attention when the guard came out. In the yard there was a small well. The guard marched the woman straight there and forced her to her knees. He then placed her head on the edge of the well and called for one of the other guards to hold her in place.

"What are they going to do to her?" Toris asked.

Xena didn't answer because she didn't know.

They watched the guard pull out his sword and take a step back.

"Oh no." whispered Toris. He started twitching, desperately looking around for some miracle that could save the woman. Xena placed a hand on his arm.

"We're too far away." She whispered.

They watched the guard deliver a strike that severed the woman's head from the rest of her body, killing her instantly. The guard who had held the woman down received help from another guard to help dispose of the corpse. The guard who had performed the kill simply wiped off his sword and left the scene. As soon as he had left the rest of the guards returned to their meals.

"We have to get in there, Xena. We have to."

The two warriors took their horses' reins and left to find a place to set up camp for the night.

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Gabrielle had rented a room for her and the kids to stay in while they waited for Xena and Toris to return. Annie was not happy with being forced to stay behind and Metaxas had been furious. He of course wanted to help save his sister and had refused to accept the adults' decision to leave without him at first. It wasn't until Xena had gotten really angry with him that he had calmed down and accepted his fate.

Annie stood looking out the window in their new temporary home and she felt the anger resurface again. "I can't believe this! Why are we even here if we're not allowed to help in any way?" she asked.

Gabrielle was busy preparing their beds for the night. "You are here because we decided to bring you along. You were supposed to be back at the school in Rome, remember?"

Annie became quiet. "Yes, I had almost forgotten about that. Sorry. It's a lot better here." she stated. Instead of focusing on the anger she had felt when Xena had told her she would have to stay in town, she focused on the joy she had felt when she had realized that Xena was going to take her with her to North Africa after all. That made her smile.

Gabrielle felt bad for Annie and Metaxas. She of all people knew how it felt to be left behind and not feel useful. That had happened to her a lot in the beginning when she and Xena had met, and it still happened sometimes. The Bard took a look at the young boy sitting sulking in a corner of the room. If it had been Lila who had been abducted she too would have wanted to be there to do everything in her power to help save her.

Gabrielle glanced outside the window and saw darkness approaching. It was evening but they didn't really have anything special they had to get up to in the morning.

Gabrielle grinned as an idea formed in her head. "Hey you two, what do you think about going out for a bite to eat and then going down to the market place for a while?"

Annie and Metaxas both looked up and stared at the Bard and then at each other. Metaxas pointed out the window with a questioning stare on his grim face.

"Yes." Gabrielle answered him. "Out there. If you want to?"

"But I thought we were getting ready to go to bed." Annie said.

"Yes, but I think you deserve to have some fun. I know you're disappointed to be left here in town while Xena and Toris are off being heroes and I just thought we could go out and take a look around. I haven't been here before either you know." Gabrielle could feel the curious side of her kick in and she knew she simply had to satisfy it. But she would make sure they would have their fun in a safe, controlled kind of way so that nothing bad would happen. She wouldn't know how to explain it to Xena if something went wrong.

A few minutes later the Bard and the two kids were out on the street crawling with people. They headed towards an inn on the other side of the street since the place where they rented the room didn't serve food. Inside they grabbed a table and quickly ordered. Neither one of them wanted to spend too much time eating when they could be experiencing the city and all of its people. They headed out into the street again and started walking towards the market place. Gabrielle argued that they should at least do something useful all evening so they should buy some food in the market place. That way they could avoid having all meals in taverns, which was pretty expensive.

They walked past shopping women carrying their babies in shawls on their backs and stomachs and men working in stores along the street, selling shoes, boots, knives and many more things and accessories. Every time Annie saw something she found fascinating she'd run over and look at it, but from a safe distance from the person selling it. Gabrielle had a tough job keeping track of the girl every second.

"I don't understand how Xena does it." She said to herself, shaking her head at the girl.

They reached the market place. "All right lets agree on not losing each other here. It's a big market and it could happen so let's stay close to…"

A big hand grabbed the Bard and relieved her of her staff. She was pulled into a nearby alley and blindfolded. She could hear Annie and Metaxas being dragged along behind her. It sounded as if Annie was trying to cry out but all that came out of her mouth were muffled cries. Whoever it was that was holding her probably had his or her hand covering the girl's mouth.

The attack had been so sudden and Gabrielle hadn't had any time what so ever to see who her attacker was. She had no idea what was going on and she was terrified for Annie and Metaxas' sake. Oh why did this always have to happen to her? It sometimes seemed like routine. Xena went away and left her alone and she would get kidnapped. So typical, the Bard thought. But who would want to kidnap them here? Very few even knew that they were in North Africa, let alone what they were doing here.

Gabrielle counted the turns from the alley where she had been blindfolded. One, two three, four turns. So they had probably walked four blocks away from the alley and the market place. She heard a door open and then she heard her capturer say "Watch your step." Gabrielle lifted her feet and felt the first step and then the next. They climbed the stairs and she heard the man pull out a key and unlock the door to a room. They entered the room and Gabrielle was forced to sit down on the floor. She felt two figures sit down, one on each side of her.

They waited a minute and then she heard a voice say "As long as you don't make trouble I will release you and take off the blindfold."

Gabrielle nodded and a second later the blindfold was taken off and she could take in the room before her and her capturer. Now that she could see she noticed that there were four of them and one was holding her staff. She looked at him and eyed her trusty weapon. "Can I have that back?" she asked sweetly.

The man just smiled at her with a "How stupid do you think I am look" on his face.

Gabrielle took a look at the kids sitting next to her. They were still blindfolded and their hands were bound in front of them. At least they had been spared having their hands bound behind their backs as the Bard herself had not been spared of. She hated that, it was so uncomfortable.

One of the five men gave Gabrielle the impression that he was the leader. For some reason she could also sense that he was the one who had grabbed her and escorted her here. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He was obviously not from this part of the world but he still dressed like the locals. She figured it was probably to blend in. He was actually quite handsome, the Bard thought. He didn't look very dangerous and she thanked the Gods if that were true and they would get out of this alive.

"Take off their blindfolds." Gabrielle commanded.

The man scratched his chin and looked thoughtful for a moment, but then he did as she had asked. He moved slowly over to them and took of the kids' blindfolds as well.

"And untie them, please." Gabrielle continued. But the man shook his head no.

"Their ropes are not tied too tightly. I don't want them running around in here right now."

Gabrielle looked around. There room was full of weapons of all sorts. Crossbows, arrows, swords, daggers, staffs and so on. It looked like these guys were ready to take on an army. There were three windows but two of them were nailed shut. Gabrielle, Metaxas and Annie were seated in the middle of the room. The good looking man was standing in front of them now and the one with Gabrielle's staff in his hands were standing a few feet to their right. One man was standing by the door and one had gone over to the window.

"Perhaps I should introduce myself." The blond man with the blue eyes said. "I am Costa. Right now you are my prisoners but believe me, I mean you no harm, and once I'm done with you you may leave."

"Oh great, a polite kidnapper." Annie muttered.

Gabrielle turned her head and gave the girl a warning stare to let her know that she was doing the talking. "What do you want with us? "

"We want to talk to you. I heard you were on a ship headed for North Africa." He said. The man holding Gabrielle's staff handed it to Costa and he examined it carefully. "This is wood from Greece. I expected some of you to be from Rome."

That statement made Gabrielle sneeze a little too proudly. She quickly realized that it might have been inappropriate. These men could be Romans themselves, she had no way of knowing since they were disguised as the locals. "Why would we be Romans? No offence Metaxas."

The boy shrugged.

"Oh so you are a Roman?" he directed the question to Metaxas who just stared blankly at him. "Well, answer me."

"He doesn't speak. Leave the kids alone and talk to me." Gabrielle said annoyed that the man had changed his target. "I am from Greece, the boy is from Rome and the girl…well, she's… complicated."

Annie smiled at hearing that. It was true. She was complicated and there was no use trying to explain her presence.

"And what is your name if I may ask?" Costa asked and offered a small bow at the same time.

Annie thought she must be mistaken but for a moment she actually thought she saw Gabrielle slightly blushing.

"I'm Gabrielle. And my friends names are Metaxas and Annie." She found herself being captivated by the man's blue eyes. They were as blue as the ocean and seemed to have just as much power. She was released when Costa pulled away from her.

"Then it is as I hoped. You are the Bard of Potedia. I sincerely hope the Warrior Princess is close as well. Like I said, I was expecting you."

Gabrielle still felt confused. "How do you know who we are?"

Costa scratched his chin and then circled them. He bent down and started untying Gabrielle's hands. "Will these two" he pointed at Annie and Metaxas stay put if I untie them?" Gabrielle nodded so he undid their ropes as well. "You can stand if you wish. I now know that you are the right person." He looked at the Bard's confused expression and smiled. And oh that smile, Gabrielle had to force herself to look away.

"Please allow me to explain."

"Oh go right ahead. I'm waiting to hear your excuse to having abducted us and brought us here."

The man who had held Gabrielle's staff spoke up. "I like her spirit." He said and eyed the Bard.

"Well, I agree that our methods are a little exaggerated but we mean you no harm. The four of us are Romans. Me and Cicurinus have both had a sister each who has been abducted by the Zolicans, been sent here and sold into slavery. They were bought by Phyro." He pointed at the man by the window "This good man here, Trio, has a wife who has suffered the same fate." He pointed at the man by the door "And Agrippa unfortunately has a similar story with his daughter."

Gabrielle was beginning to realize that these four men probably weren't as bad as she had first thought. It sounded to her as if they were victims of the same torture that Toris and Metaxas were going through.

"All right, so why have you brought us here?"

"I actually wanted to speak to you or Xena but I figured it would be a bad idea to take you without bringing these kids along. I also wasn't sure if you were the Bard of Potedia, I had heard that Xena was travelling this way, but I wasn't sure about you. "He looked at Annie and Metaxas who sat listening to him but looking pretty tired. It had been a long day and they still hadn't gotten any sleep."

"But I don't understand…what do you want? It sounds like what happened to all of you is a horrible thing. But I don't understand what it has to do with us." Gabrielle said.

"A few months ago in Rome, I decided to find more people who's loved ones had been abducted by the Zolicans and sold into slavery here. I asked around and I found these three men. We decided to come together and go on a rescue mission."

Gabrielle was starting to understand these men's connection to herself and her travelling companions. Too bad Toris wasn't here though.

"We got on a ship to North Africa and when we arrived we found out where they had bee sent, Phyro's estate, and we went there to rescue them. By the Gods we carried weapons and we thought we were prepared. Unfortunately, we weren't."

"What happened?!" Annie asked. The fear and exhaustion that she had recently felt were beginning to fade and she felt she could talk now.

The blonde man smiled at her but then directed his answer more to the Bard again. Annie felt annoyed that he obviously viewed her as a child. She felt like getting up and kicking him or something but she remained seated and quiet for the time being. She wanted to hear his story.

"We got to the estate and I went in. There were a lot of guards but I even managed to find my sister. She spotted me hiding and I could see hope in her eyes at first…but then she signalled to me to get away from her. I didn't understand why. I grabbed her and brought her to a more private place. That's when I noticed the necklace that she was wearing." Costa was no longer smiling at this point. It was clear to Gabrielle that this necklace had not been a pretty gift to his sister. "When she had come to the estate the necklace had been placed around her neck and around the necks of half of the women there. She explained to me that it was to make sure people like us wouldn't start coming to their rescue and to make sure they wouldn't try to escape. You see, these necklaces have the effect that if the person carrying one moves outside the high wall surrounding the estate, that person will die. There is a crystal in one of the buildings somewhere inside the estate. The same sort of smaller crystals are inside the necklaces that the women are wearing and if the necklaces are moved too far away from the main crystal, in other words outside the gates, the person wearing it will explode."

No one in the room spoke. The silence was deafening in some way. Not that he could speak but Annie was sure that even if he could have spoken Metaxas still would have been quiet because of the shook. Because this meant that Emarentia might be wearing one of those necklaces. And it also meant that the difficulty to rescue her had increased a lot for Xena and Toris, who were out there somewhere.

Costa continued. "This is because the crystals inside the necklaces need to be close to the main crystal inside the estate. Otherwise they destroy themselves."

Gabrielle finally spoke. But she didn't say much "By the Gods." She whispered. She glanced at Metaxas to try to see his reaction to this. He looked blank in some way that she had never seen him before.

Costa added the two essential things that he had not yet said "The necklaces are also very effective in another way. Phyro has counted on the women's' compassion to each other. Because if one person blows herself up by trying to escape then the others wearing the necklaces suffer the exact same fate. They die as well."

This was horrible, and also frustrating. How were they going to get Emarentia out if she happened to be wearing one of those necklaces? "You said only half of the female slaves at the estate wear these necklaces. Why not all of them?" Gabrielle asked.

The man who had taken her staff, Cicurinus, spoke this time. "Because then he'd lose all of his female workers if one would decide to commit suicide. He'd lose too much money that way. "

This estate sounded more like a fortress with every security measure well thought through. Gabrielle's thoughts went to Xena and Toris and how they planned to get in. she was brought back from her thoughts when Costa took back the scene.

"So, we had to get out of there so we wouldn't risk a lot of people getting killed. We went back here to try and figure out a plan to rescue our loved ones. That was when we heard a rumour that Xena the Warrior Princess was coming this way. We have all heard of her exploits in Rome and how she has outsmarted Caesar, and we figured we had to get a hold of her when she arrived. Unfortunately we missed her the day she arrived but we did see you and another man come here on another ship not long afterwards. We suspected you might be the Bard so tonight, we followed you and well…brought you here."

"So you brought us here because you need to talk to Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes. We need reinforcements in order to succeed with this rescue. But we also figured that this might be our time to destroy Phyro, with the help of the Warrior Princess and you of course. We'd be strong enough. We also noticed that you travel with the other male warrior you came her with, who must have an interest in this somehow as well?"

Gabrielle cleared her throat. It was becoming a bit dry from sitting on this dusty floor for so long. "That is Xena's brother Toris. He and Metaxas here are the ones who lost someone to the Zolicans and then to Phyro. Her name is Emarentia and she is Metaxas's sister. We came her to save her"

"Good, then there are three of you able to fight and think and four of us…"

"Hey!" Annie finally exclaimed. "We exist here you know!" she was referring to herself and Metaxas "We're not ghosts!" she was very upset at being ignored like this. It was not something she could accept from anyone. Metaxas showed some frustration as well by giving the four men an icy stare almost challenging them.

"I'm sorry, honey, but I meant adults who are able to fight when it's needed."

Gabrielle put a hand on each kid's arm to keep them in place. "Don't you make any trouble now, Annie. I won't be happy if you do and XENA definitely won't be either."

At hearing those words Annie settled down a bit. She settled for just making eye contact with Costa, giving him a warning glare and thinking that he seemed really full of himself.

**To be continued**


End file.
